SRBC Under the Media's Microscope - FINALLY!

     
Everyone who visits my cranny in cyberspace knows I've blasted the SRBC many times for their "rubber-stamp" approvals of water withdrawals from the Susquehanna's watershed. Everyone should also recall that in this year's "Most Endangered" list, American Rivers, the PA Chapter of the Sierra Club and yours truly called on the SRBC for a complete moratorium on water withdrawals.

Therefore, it was rewarding to read this article this morning in the Inky.

Follow me, folks. First, consider this quote from the article:

"Gas drilling has been a boon for the SRBC, whose budget has doubled since 2007 to $10 million. Its fee income, mostly from gas-industry charges for drilling-site approvals and water withdrawals, has increased sixfold to $6.2 million."

The SRBC's income has increased sixfold!?!? Some Marcellus Multiplier. I know my income hasn't increased sixfold since 2007.

Has yours?

Now before you go any further, PLEASE put down any hot liquids, place any sharp objects or firearms in another room, and if you're prone to profanity...ask the kids to go outside and play for a few minutes.

Here's the agenda for the next SRBC quarterly meeting to be held near Cooperstown, NY.  Please note item #7:

So - there it is folks. I know I don't need to connect the dots here, but consider the following:

• The SRBC's income has increased sixfold, primarily due to increased fee income from water withdrawals to support the natural gas industry's "well completion" activities.
• The SRBC is looking to buy, build and/or lease a new headquarters building.
• The SRBC needs continued high revenue to fund that brand new acquisition.
• The SRBC can guarantee that stream of income continues by approving water withdrawals from PA and NY's public natural resources, i.e. surface waters & aquifers, unless WE stop them; because quite honestly, the majority of our elected "leaders" are outright useless COWARDS who are unwilling to act decisively to protect our public natural resources.   

Several years ago, at the June 2009 SRBC quarterly meeting in Binghamton, NY, a man named Roy Lackner had a mini-Marcellus meltdown during the public hearing portion of the meeting. There was shouting, finger-pointing, and accusations of inappropriate financial links between the SRBC's decision-making and the water withdrawal requests from the natural gas industry.

I was there and witnessed it firsthand.

At the time, I truly felt Roy had gone a little too far. Turns out...he not only called it right, but he didn't go far enough.

In an upcoming post, I am going to offer what I believe to be incontrovertible proof of the direct and inappropriate working relationship between the SRBC and the natural gas industry.
 
Until then, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Bowmans Creek has two $RBC-approved withdrawal sites...

...and no historical streamflow data on record.   Photo by Don Williams

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Tuscarora Creek has an $RBC-approved withdrawal site...

..and no historical streamflow data on record. Photo by Don Williams

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Thanks to the $RBC, this is an everyday sight in Bradford County.
Why?...

Ka-ching...ka-ching.        Photo by Diane S.