NJ Gubernatorial candidate calls for fracking ban in Delaware River Basin

Tom Johnson/NJ Spotlight

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Tom Johnson is the energy and environment reporter for NJ Spotlight. He is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in reporting and editing at New Jersey newspapers. A veteran reporter for The Newark Star-Ledger, Johnson worked in the Statehouse and in Newark covering energy, environmental and telecommunications issues. Before that he served as editor of the Ridgewood Newspapers and a reporter and editor at the Herald-News. A recipient of many state and national journalism honors, including recognition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for coverage of the environment, he was a member of the Star-Ledger’s nationally award-winning business section. After leaving the Ledger in early 2009, he served as press secretary to the Daggett Campaign for Governor. He lives in Plainfield, N.J. tjohnson@njspotlight.com

June 15, 2017 | 3:13 PM

$A natural gas rig in Washington, Pa. New Jersey's gubernatorial candidate Murphy has called for a fracking ban along the Delaware River.$

AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam / AP Photo

(File photo) A natural gas rig in Washington, Pa. New Jersey's gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy has called for a fracking ban along the Delaware River. If he wins, it could tip the balance at the DRBC.

In an announcement with significant implications, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy has called for a permanent ban on fracking within the Delaware River Basin.

Murphy’s endorsement of a permanent ban on the technology used to drill for natural gas came on a day when conservation and environmental groups once again urged the Delaware River Basin Commission to make a moratorium on fracking permanent.

Murphy’s position also is a reversal of that taken by Gov. Chris Christie during his two terms and could swing the majority of the five-member commission to support a permanent ban if the Democratic candidate wins this November’s election for governor of New Jersey.

The commission has established, in effect, a moratorium on fracking within the basin since 2010, when it prohibited permitting for natural-gas drilling to allow it to study its impact on water resources. The Delaware River Basin provides drinking water to 15 million people in the region.

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