Being on the Side of Life: Fresh Water Is Worth Protecting, the Delaware & Everywhere
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is a governing body comprised of 4 gubernatorial representatives from the states known as New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and 1 representative from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). According to the DRBC website, the governing body was created “so the river system could be managed collectively by the five members, without regard to political boundaries.” Yet, a highly political non-vote was what my first encounter with this body would be. Back in 2011, ten years ago, the DRBC had the votes from NY, DE, and the USACE 3 to 2 who were slated to vote not to allow fracking into the Delaware River Basin. No to lifting a moratorium unless there was an outright ban on fracking and fracking wastewater operations. The vote, however, did not take place.
This month, the DRBC held a series of virtual hearings concerning import and export. The draft regulations they issued were regarding the import of wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing and the export of fresh water, blue gold, from the Delaware River Watershed for the purpose of supporting fracking operations outside of the basin.
The kind staff person who worked on behalf of DRBC was incredibly responsive and accommodating to my speaking at last Wednesday’s 1PM virtual hearing. Many people have expressed themselves before the DRBC across the years; they spoke, sang, plead, shouted, yelled, cried, whispered, were silent, but I had not truly engaged since that non-vote.
I commented specifically about that juncture mentioned earlier wherein government, in the form of the DRBC, should have worked correctly but failed. I picked it up where I left off in my heart and any faith I might have had left in democratic governance. I was there at that moment with my growing child who deserved environmental protection. There should be no sacrifice zones yet there are and, knowing this, I had to speak up clearly last Wednesday. I highlighted the largely brushed aside irreconcilable social costs.
I called out preventable childhood cancer taking place right now around the Delaware River Basin due to unconventional horizontal gas drilling and related hydraulic fracturing operations. I described the daily pain of survivors’ grief when preventable death occurs.
My comments held the personal weight necessary to carry such a hearing. My audio comments were shared live via DRBC’s YouTube channel. Here they are in full below. Thank you for reading.
“I’m Rachel Dawn Davis, Public Policy & Justice Organizer for Waterspirit, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. Wastewater produced by fracking MUST BE COMPLETELY and CATEGORICALLY banned. At present, there is no threat of a fracking waste spill from wastewater destined for the Basin. DRBC should keep it that way. In order for the DRB not to succumb to loopholes with draft regulations that leave a lot to be desired in the way of protection of Creation, we urge you to enact a complete ban on the import, processing, discharge, reuse and/or disposal of wastewater produced by fracking.
10 years ago, had the DRBC had the votes to allow fracking in the Delaware River Basin, wouldn’t the vote have taken place? Instead, since the majority of DRBC voters would have voted in the negative, not allowing fracking or fracking wastewater into this one of few remaining fresh water resources, there was a non-vote, NEUTRAL on banning fracking and related wastewater.
The allowance of fossil fuel infrastructure that ran directly against what the public stakeholders and gubernatorial voters would have wanted a decade ago results in ecological sins. 10 years later? This is a precarious situation.
When my family members died, I sought refuge in Dingmans’s Falls, in Pike County, PA. And when the trees were cut for a pipeline there, I felt in my core and bones, eco-grief. Death is something I know quite a bit about. My brother was part of a cancer cluster in north jersey so when I was 4, he died just shy of 8. His birthday was on Christmas. My mom died of cancer when I was 13, though she would have died from a broken heart at the loss of her son. Death and grief have been part of my life, and I understand more than most what President Biden speaks of and feels, every day.. But do you and does he appreciate the death of the young persons or young parents imagined future?
For the past 10 weeks for 2 nights a week, I’ve helped facilitate a support group for eco-anxiety. Did you know the Lancet Planetary Health Journal published findings last month sharing 75% of young people are grappling with the loss of their imagined future? This is directly related to the ecological sin previously mentioned. Children- when they aren’t dying by suicide- they are dying of preventable cancer-the worst type-a body burden of fracking- irreconcilable social costs- because of the decisions- like those the DRBC has made- to allow industry to profit while communities suffer. There is no death to a corporation, as they are not people. They do not need to care for community. A corporation is fine with death so long as it isn’t death to profits. Water and air know no bounds. Stormwater runoff can carry pollution into our water and to far off places where the DRBC will not be required to review or provide oversight.
Paul A. Rubin, a hydrologist and hydrogeologist teaches that the water table has been reliable for time immemorial but due to unconventional horizontal gas drilling, and ancillary services shielded by a nondisclosure of toxins, the water table in this region where fracking has already occurred was reduced from 10,000 years to maybe 100, likely less now. Water is life. There was a Regenerative Communities Summit, put on by the Transition Network earlier this fall –a mechanism for preparing for post-peak-oil economies across Turtle Island. There, poet and writer Johanna Macy shared a worthy quote — “Life is on our side: may we be on the side of life.” May we invest in solutions. We wish you and everyone listening, PEACE and a healthy and a happy holiday season!”
Meaningful action looks like supporting by commenting on these draft rules before the comment period’s end.
Please add your comments before the comment period ends. The DRBC’s public comment period on these draft rules is open now and will close February 28, 2022. For help with specific talking points, please reach out to us directly at water@waterspirit.org Thank you, again, for reading, and stay tuned as we continue to embrace humanity in dialogue and reflection toward a post peak-oil future.
