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Central Jersey Trout Unlimited Membership, As I mentioned to those present at our last general meeting, many activities still threaten the Upper Delaware Watershed and the tremendous fishery it provides. One of these threats is the drilling for natural gas within the Marcellus Shale region which will allow for companies to withdraw large...make that an enormous amount of water from the rivers and tributaries feeding this watershed. Water levels within this region are already at a critical low point due to the lack of flows from the supporting reservoirs as dictated by the interim Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) and future water withdraw will dramatically alter the trout habitat in this region. Please see below an Action Alert I urge you to take part in (PRIOR TO MARCH 12) and make your voice heard. Please follow the link below to tell the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) not to issue Stone Energy Corporation any permits for water withdraw and to provide an FFMP which protects the aquatic habitat of the Upper Delaware Watershed. Thank you for your support!! Rich
Richard Thomas 
Action AlertMarch 2, 2010Stone Energy Corporation, a Louisiana-based company is requesting permits from the Delaware River Basin Commission for two Marcellus Shale gas drilling projects, one of which would withdraw up to 700,000 gallons of water per day from the West Branch of the Lackawaxen River in the Upper Delaware River watershed. Why We CareStone Energy Corporation is requesting two permits for Marcellus Shale gas drilling projects in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, in the Upper Delaware River watershed. This area has been classified as Special Protection Waters by the Delaware River Basin Commission with "exceptionally high scenic, recreational, ecological and/or water supply values." 
One application seeks to legalize a Marcellus Shale exploration and development project at an existing gas well in Clinton Township that was already drilled in 2008 by Stone Energy without first obtaining approval from the DRBC. The second permit application proposes to withdraw 700,000 gallons of water per day from the West Branch of the Lackawaxen River in Mount Pleasant Township. The water would be used for hydraulic fracturing, the process by which natural gas is extracted from the Marcellus Shale, deep underground. The West Branch of the Lackawaxen River is a valuable, high-quality coldwater fishery that could be adversely impacted, over time, by the proposed water withdrawal. Stone Energy Corporation has not adequately developed an operational plan showing that fish and other wildlife will not be affected by these water withdrawals. The Upper Delaware River watershed offers one of the finest wild trout fishing destinations in the East and simply cannot afford to be an experiment for water withdrawals and potential toxic contamination related to natural gas drilling activities. What You Can DoTell the DRBC to reject both of the Stone Energy permit applications and not to issue any permits for Marcellus Shale gas drilling activities in the Delaware River watershed until it is has adopted 1) new regulations that include an analysis of, and take into account, the anticipated cumulative impacts of all gas drilling activities in the Delaware River watershed, and 2) an ecologically protective flow management plan for the Upper Delaware River. Visit our online action center and take action before March 12, 2010.
Sincerely,
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