First Philadelphia Public Forum on Marcellus Shale Drilling

Andrew Goodman

December 9, 2009

Both the Delaware River watershed and the Schuylkill River watershed, which combined provide 100% of Philadelphia’s drinking water, are potentially at risk from the toxic chemicals and other hazardous byproducts from Marcellus Shale drilling. Temple University’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department is hosting Philadelphia’s first public forum to inform, educate, and organize around this issue on Thursday.

The meeting, at 1947 North 12th Street in Room 126, is co-sponsored by Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS) and Philadelphia POW, Protecting Our Waters, a grassroots expression of the growing resistance to Marcellus Shale drilling throughout the region. The program includes the Reverend Horace Strand of Chester Environmental Partnership, and leaders from the Catskill Mountainkeeper, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and Clean Water Action. DCS Director Barbara Arrindell, an expert on scientific aspects of Marcellus Shale drilling and on local impacts throughout Pennsylvania, will speak. All details are online at damascuscitizens.org/pow.html.

A short excerpt from Josh Fox’s film Gaslands will be shown, and an organizing meeting will be included after the educational forum with time for questions. The room at Temple is available from 7 pm to 9:45 pm. Philadelphia POW contact Mark Barbash may be contacted by email at jzzmrk@verizon.net.

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