"Group: Susquehanna Is 'Most Endangered'"

"For the second time in six years, the Washington, D.C.-based conservation group American Rivers today put the Susquehanna at the top of its annual 'Endangered Rivers' list, citing rapidly growing and 'poorly regulated' natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking.'

Nonsense, an industry spokesman countered. Regulations in Pennsylvania were recently praised in an independent study, drinking water has never been impacted by the process, and the industry has voluntarily tightened controls and disclosed chemicals used.

American Rivers will officially unveil the 26th annual 'America's Most Endangered Rivers' list this morning with the Susquehanna at the top, contending natural gas extraction threatens drinking water used by 6 million people along the 444-mile waterway.

It is the second year in a row a river was put at the top of the list because of the threat of natural gas extraction. Last year, the Delaware River ranked number one for the same reason."

Mark Guydish reports for the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader May 17, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"American Rivers At Greatest Risk in 2011" (Environment News Service)