Environmentalists urge Gov. Murphy to ban fracking waste from entering New Jersey

Environmentalists are seizing on a new report to urge Gov. Phil Murphy to issue a ban on fracking wastewater.

The report from the Partnership for Policy Integrity said energy companies in Pennsylvania are refusing to identify potentially harmful chemicals used for drilling and fracking. 

New Jersey Sierra Club director Jeff Tittel said he hopes the dangers of fracking waste will convince the governor to just ban it. 

“You can’t treat it because, one, you don’t even know what you’re treating. Two, the facilities in the Delaware Basin can’t take out all these different chemicals. So if you can’t treat it, then you have to ban it,” he said.

New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill in 2014 to ban fracking waste, but former Gov. Chris Christie vetoed it. 

Alyssa Bradley with Clean Water Action is counting on the governor to approve a ban. 

“I think Murphy understands the dangers of fracking wastewater,” said Bradley, “So I think he’s more likely to do something about this than … Chris Christie was.”

 Opponents contend fracking waste poses a threat to drinking water and public health.