The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), charged with protecting and managing the water resources in the Susquehanna River Basin, continues to perform its duty with distinction (unlike another commission with a similar name nearby that fails miserably to perform its duties). In 2010 the SRBC began collecting the data through a state-of-the-art Remote Water Quality Monitoring Network (RWQMN). Part of the remit in that effort is to determine whether or not Marcellus Shale drilling is having an effect on the quality of water in rivers and streams in the SRBC region. Two prior reports issued by the SRBC had shown no impact on the water quality of rivers and streams from drilling. Last week the SRBC delivered its third such report (full copy below). It is the most comprehensive study to date, covering data collected from 2010-2013. And guess what? The new report shows that Marcellus Shale drilling has not impacted local rivers and streams. Period. End of story. So now we have both the federal government, via the EPA, saying fracking doesn’t harm water supplies, and the SRBC saying the same thing. And the politicians in New York State ban fracking because of “maybes” and “mights” and “possibles”–all while real data from real drilling shows shale drilling does not harm the environment–not in the way claimed by NY political charlatans. Here’s what the SRBC said in releasing their latest report on water quality in the Marcellus region…
