Delaware River Basin Commission Approves Fracking Ban

Representatives of New York, Pennsylvania and two other states have voted in favor of a ban on high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin.

The vote on Thursday amended the Delaware River Basin Commission's comprehensive plan and water code to prohibit the practice of fracking to extract natural gas.

The technique currently is banned in New York state but it is permitted in Pennsylvania.

Delaware Governor John Carney, who chairs the commission, said the fracking ban will "provide the fullest protection to the more than 13 million people who rely upon the Delaware River Basin’s waters for their drinking water."