Halt natural gas exploration on the Yough!

Lower Yough River | Photo by Mountain Watershed Association

Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Youghiogheny River (known by its friends as “the Yough”) is endangered. Typically, the river is widely used by locals and visitors alike for fishing, paddling or enjoying the world-renowned Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). The clean waters of the Yough are now threatened by pollution from nearby natural gas fracking platforms, and pumps continually drawing river water to support these operations. A vast network of drilling platforms and pipelines now crisscross the Yough watershed and tributaries. Furthermore, the Yough River and adjacent GAP Trail will be forever changed by a recently proposed gas-fired power plant.

Many communities along the river have experienced growth associated with sustainable, recreation/tourism-based economies. These same communities have already been devastated by the historic and ongoing impacts from coal mining. We cannot allow further adverse impacts to public health and clean water by unchecked permitting of natural gas development projects.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environment Protection (DEP) permitting policies governing natural gas development throughout the Lower Youghiogheny must be reexamined to protect the river and its environment. Government officials who prioritize industry demands for profitable use of the river and watershed land at the expense of the public must be held accountable.

Please join us in urging PA Governor Tom Wolf to oppose future natural gas drilling operations, deny any gas-fired power plant proposals, and defend the communities along the Yough and GAP Trail!

About You

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Address

City

State

Zip Code

Personalize Your Letter

Governor

Tom

Wolf

Pennsylvania State Governor’s Office

Dear Governor Tom Wolf:

As someone concerned about the fate of the Lower Youghiogheny River, I ask that you please take steps to protect the scenic and rural heritage of this river corridor and Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) by opposing destructive natural gas development projects. These projects include building Natural Gas-fired power plants, drilling and fracking operations, and extensive pipelines and infrastructure. Despite widespread public opposition over detrimental impacts to the river, rapid issuance of state environmental permits, and ineffective oversight as evidenced by unresolved permitting violations, these industrial projects continue to move forward undeterred.

Without your personal intervention, it is also anticipated that Pennsylvania’s DEP officials will approve environmental permit requests for the Invenergy gas fired power plant starting in 2020. Approved permits will move this project into the construction phase despite the obvious adverse consequences to the Lower Youghiogheny River, the adjacent GAP Trail and surrounding residential greenspace.

I urge you to direct your state environmental officials to thoroughly review existing or proposed natural gas infrastructure, take action against leadership who rubber stamp natural gas projects without a thorough review of their impacts, and protect the recent economic growth of the recreation-based tourism associated with the Laurel Highlands. The following immediate actions are needed to protect Western Pennsylvania’s premier recreational riverway:

● Deny pending DEP natural gas extraction permits until outstanding environmental violations within the watershed are fully addressed and resolved;

● Require full enforcement of stringent DEP ‘best management practices’ (BMPs) to protect recreation and fishing viability in our waterways;

● Disclose all relevant and pending DEP permitting requests and associated environmental documents for full public review on the proposed “Invenergy” power plant.

These current and future natural gas development threats have led American Rivers to list the Lower Youghiogheny River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2020. Please take this opportunity to preserve the Youghiogheny River watershed and protect the health and welfare of Pennsylvania residents now, and for future generations.

Sincerely

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address}
{user_data~City}, {user_data~State}
{user_data~Zip Code}
{user_data~Email Address}