East Resources to Fund Monitoring Network in Susquehanna River Basin
East Resources, Inc. will donate $750,000 to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) to underwrite the deployment of a remote water quality monitoring network in the upper reaches of the Susquehanna River watershed.
The network will routinely observe and record water quality conditions in smaller rivers and streams flowing through areas of the watershed where Marcellus Shale development and other water resource uses occur.
"Environmental organizations and local watershed groups have expressed concerns over the potential impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas development on public water supplies and water quality in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin," Terry Pegula, president and chief executive officer of East Resources, noted. "We firmly believe that the Marcellus Shale will be developed with little impact on water resources. This new monitoring system will provide a valuable service to citizens, communities and watershed groups in the region by informing them about local water quality conditions.
"East Resources has substantial leasehold interests and a major stake in the Upper Susquehanna watershed, and I have been an avid fisherman all my life. I am confident that East Resources and the entire Marcellus Shale industry will develop this resource in a way that protects the environment. Our contribution to the SRBC reflects East's long-term commitment to the economic vitality and environmental quality of the region."
East Resources, Inc. is an independent oil and gas producer in the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. The company holds approximately 750,000 net acres of Marcellus Shale reserves in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York, and it employs more than 355 office and field personnel with approximately 50 employees in the Wellsboro area.