API PA: Delaware River Basin Commission’s Ban on Responsible Natural Gas Development Ignores ‘Sound Science,’ Consumer Demand and Economic Benefits

HARRISBURG, February 25, 2021 – American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania (API PA) issued the following statement in response to the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) ruling to ban hydraulic fracturing in the region:

“The DRBC’s decision to ban responsible energy development is entirely misguided and neglects consumers’ needs for reliable, affordable and cleaner-burning energy from natural gas, risks regional job opportunities, limits government revenues and defies private property rights,” said API PA Executive Director Stephanie Catarino Wissman. “This ill-informed decision directly impacts residents in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware and ignores a robust regulatory system and strict industry standards that ensure the environment, public health and local communities are protected.”

API has provided testimony to the DRBC in opposition of the rulemaking that was initially proposed in 2017.

The science clearly demonstrates that, with proper design and adherence to industry standards, hydraulic fracturing does not impact drinking water resources. The Environmental Protection Agency’s comprehensive, 6-year, $30 million study found no widespread effects from hydraulic fracturing activities to drinking water quality. Additionally, the neighboring Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s extensive, real-time water quality monitoring network consistently show that natural gas operations in Pennsylvania are not contributing to negative impacts on water quality in the basin. Other reputable studies by academic institutions and government agencies have also supported this conclusion.

“The number one priority of API has always been to provide energy in a safe, scientifically sound manner while also having the least possible impact on the environment,” said Wissman. “Few places in the world are as critical to producing reliable, affordable and cleaner-burning natural gas as Pennsylvania, the second-largest producing state. The DRBC’s blatant overreach is a missed opportunity to harness clean and abundant natural gas to power our state and nation and support good-paying jobs in Pennsylvania.”

Wissman also pointed out that the DRBC lacks the authority to prohibit hydraulic fracturing.

API Pennsylvania is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its 600 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy, and participate in API Energy Excellence, which is accelerating environmental and safety progress by fostering new technologies and transparent reporting. The industry supports more than 10 million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization and has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.