Judge joins natural gas developer to environmental groups'lawsuit over DRBC's approval of water use in shale activity

摘要

U.S. Judge Anne E. Thompson of the District of New Jersey held on Sept. 2 that Stone Energy Corp. is a required party that must be joined to the lawsuit brought by two environmental groups arising from Stone Energy's use of water in proposed natural gas extraction activities targeting shale formations within the Delaware River Basin in Pennsylvania. (See issue of April 15, 2011 P. 6.) Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Delaware Riverkeeper appealed the Delaware River Basin Commission's (DRBC) approval of Stone Energy's docket application to withdraw up to 0.7 million gallons of water per day from the West Branch of the Lackawaxen River in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, to support its natural gas development and extraction activities. The case is in federal court for the District of New Jersey where defendant DRBC's office is located.