Lawmakers urged to keep fracking wastes out of New Jersey

A coalition of environmental and community groups is urging the New Jersey Legislature to approve a ban on fracking waste from other states.

Environmentalists are concerned that toxic wastewater from the fracking gas drilling process in Pennsylvania could be sent to New Jersey.

Tracy Carluccio, the deputy director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, says that would jeopardize the Garden State’s drinking water.

“We’re facing a situation where toxic wastewater that the Department of Energy says is the most toxic wastewater produced by any gas extraction or oil extraction process would be coming here to New Jersey and we do not have the facilities to handle it,” Carluccio said Monday.

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Opponents also say accepting fracking waste from other states would hurt the capacity of wastewater treatment facilities to hook up New Jersey businesses.

A measure, sponsored by Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, D-Bergen and awaiting legislative action, would prohibit the treatment, discharge, disposal or storage of toxic fracking waste in New Jersey.

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