NYC Watershed Safe – For Now

By Henry W. and Pat C.

In the midst of rising public pressure, Chesapeake Energy Corporation has decided to step back from the natural gas fight in New York State by withdrawing their request to drill in the watershed.

The watershed supplies over nine million people in the New York City area with unfiltered drinking water. Due to the possibly of contaminating this water supply, and the resultant public uproar, Chesapeake Energy, the largest leaseholder in the Marcellus Shale, had to make a decision. “We have decided to withdraw the application and reassess our approach to the situation. We believe this is preferable to continuing with hearings and further public debate about this project at this time,” said James E. Grey, regulatory affairs director of Chesapeake Energy.

Chesapeake does plan to advance their applications for drilling in other parts of the state that are not in the watershed. The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is working with Chesapeake to make drilling operations as safe as possible. “Our role is to react to applicants, to review them, and to ensure that the watershed is protected,” said Clarke Rupert of the DRBC.

Some New York City politicians and environmental advocates are pleased with Chesapeake’s decision to withdraw their drilling permits in the New York City watershed. The New York Times quoted James F. Gennaro, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection, saying, “To proceed with drilling doesn’t make any business sense and doesn’t make environmental sense, and I think Chespeake understands this, and I am happy they have come to that decision.”

However, opponents of hydrofracking are concerned that New York City, a major player in the gass drilling controversy, will now back out of the fray and let Upstate New York take the brunt of the struggle to protect the environment and local water.