We are getting many responses from folks writing to the VP that their emails are coming back.  You can try this shorter version of the letter and paste it into the VP contact form at the VP’s website here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact-vp/

Short Version of the letter:

Dear Vice President Biden-

DON’T FRACK THE DELAWARE! SAY IT AIN’T SO, JOE!

We respect your integrity, your strength, your leadership and most of all your environmental record.

I am writing to urge you to unequivocally reject the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) proposal to allow gas drilling within the Delaware River Basin. The DRBC received 69,800 public comments on their proposed draft regulations which were overwhelmingly against fracking. They have ignored them and in the process ignored the democratic process. Commissioners who vote to allow fracking are on the wrong side of history and will be held accountable.

Hydraulic Fracturing – or Fracking – is a highly dangerous method of drilling for natural gas that risks the safety of our air, water, and food, and threatens the health of our families, communities, and environment.

The charter of the DRBC calls for it to protect water quality in the basin, and clearly calls for nothing else to be considered above this mandate. If the regulations pass and the river basin is industrialized beyond recognition and contaminated, it will be forever the legacy of those who voted yes.

This watershed provides drinking water for 15.6 million people. That’s about 5% of the nation’s population – including New York City and Philadelphia – who are depending on this relatively small watershed for safe drinking water every day.

Just as New York has urged no drilling in its watersheds, the Obama Administration and the State of Delaware can vote to disallow fracking in the Delaware river basin.

Please stand with this National Wild and Scenic River, its communities and habitats, and the more than 15 million people who rely on the Delaware for their water. To do otherwise could be catastrophic. We voted you into office to serve and protect all of the people, not just the few who wish to profit at all costs.

Currently New York Attorney General has filed suit against the commission for failing in its obligation to complete a cumulative impact study of hydrofracking on the river basin, which is required of the commission by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This means that the DRBC would be violating the law in allowing gas drilling regulations. We urge you to reject all drilling in the river basin flat out, but, at very least, the DRBC is required to do a multi-year cumulative impact study, which would truly assess the impact on the river basin, by federal law.

Thank you.

You may also want to copy your letter to these addresses as well:

TO: Vice President Joe Biden

CC:

President Barack Obama (http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments)

Jo Ellen Darcy, Army Corps of Engineers for President Obama (ASACWPOC@conus.army.mil)

Governor Jack Markell (Mary.darby@state.de.us)

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden (Attorney.General@state.de.us)

Nancy Sutlley, Council on Environmental Quality (chair@ceq.eop.gov)

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