The Delaware River Basin Commission said its decision will control future pollution, protect public health and preserve the waters of the basin.
In voting to ban the practice, the four states that are part of the commission cited scientific evidence that fracking has polluted drinking water, surface water, and groundwater.
Senate Republicans say the Delaware River Basin Commission doesn’t have the authority to impose a moratorium on fracking in the basin.
The Delaware River Basin Commission has a de facto ban on fracking in place, but it is considering new rules that would include allowing the storage, treatment, and disposal of fracking waste, and the removal of water for fracking in other places.
New prohibitions would be a big victory for environmentalists and residents who have been campaigning for them for years.
Companies are allowed to protect trade secrets, and the health risks of unidentified chemicals are unknown. Advocates push for disclosure, saying the public needs to know about the chemicals in order to help protect drinking water.
