Public Can Comment on SRBC Water Withdrawal Applications

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is looking for feedback on the latest round of applications to siphon water from the Susquehanna and its tributaries. Natural gas drilling companies take water from the basin for their fracking operations. Guy Alsentzer, a lawyer with the environmental group Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, says he thinks the impact of a growing gas drilling industry could be lost on the panel if its focus remains on the evaluation of individual water withdrawal permits.

"Really what I feel is lacking, especially when compared to the regulatory mechanisms in other states and other interstate compacts in the United States, is the idea of a unified comprehensive plan that is looking at a cumulative impact study," Alsentzer said.

The SRBC says it doesn't approve projects in a vacuum and the cumulative effect of many individual plans to pull water from the river basin is considered. But the commission notes the growing natural gas drilling industry will play a role in revisions to their organizationís long-term plan in coming years.