A MISSION TO PROTECT THE UPPER DELAWARE
And Our Homes, and Community, and Region ...

Damascus Citizens for Sustainability
Our First 2 Years

Best Civic Organization of 2008 was awarded to DCS by the River Reporter in their January 29, 2009 newspaper.


Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS) is a grassroots nonprofit, 501(c)(3), organization dedicated to protecting the Upper Delaware River Basin and beyond from the ravages of deep-shale gas extraction and the threat posed by the natural gas industry. In February 2008 a group of concerned citizens gathered to form DCS. Hickory, PA was the source of some of the first stories about gas drilling in the East. DCS interviewed and videotaped Hickory residents. On May 30, 2008, DCS provided a public meeting attended by over 400 local residents showing the videos and explaining what was at stake. DCS has also provided these videos from Hickory for public viewing via You-Tube (youtube.com/GasDrillingTruth), the DCS website and the distribution of several thousand DVDs. The DCS website, DamascusCitizens.org which has served as a conduit for a wealth of information about gas drilling has had to date over a million hits! 

Dr. Theo Colborn, Director of TDEX is an award-wining environmental health expert and co-author of Our Stolen Future. She has become one of the nation’s leading authorities on the health effects of gas drilling. In June, 2008, DCS held a public meeting attended by more than 300 area residents where Dr. Colborn presented a live-remote Power Point presentation. In her talk, Dr. Colborn discussed the long list of chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing of the shale, 91% of which, she said, are hazardous to human health. 

Josh Fox's Sundance Award Winning, GASLAND is a film dedicated to the Damascus Citizens - about the devastating health impacts and environmental degradation caused by gas drilling in Colorado, Wyoming and Texas and PA. Milanville, PA resident Josh Fox is a filmmaker and Artistic Director of the International WOW Company. DCS inspired and supports the production of this film, which set Josh on a 10,000 mile odyssey. In September, 2008, clips from his film were featured at the DCS Fracking Film Festival held at the Tusten Theater in Narrowsburg, NY. The latest clips are available on the film's website, waterunderattack.com. Josh was interviewed on the local WJFF Radio Show by Dick Riseling and recently by Laura Flanders on her nationally aired GritTV.  

Gas Moratorium Petitions were circulated by DCS asking the governors of New York and Pennsylvania to place a two-year moratorium on gas drilling until an environmental impact study can be completed assessing all of the ramifications of this intensive industrial activity. Over four thousand people have signed these petitions so far. 
 
PA Supreme Court case regarding municipalities establishing local ordinances regulating certain aspects of gas drilling was decided in September in favor of the municipalities right to use zoning to regulate the placement of gas/oil wells. In July 2008, DCS had joined the Delaware Riverkeeper and the American Littoral Society in a Friend of the Court brief filed with the PA Supreme Court supporting local governments' authority to enact such laws.  

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is responsible for regulating water impacts within the watershed. DCS has closely monitored applications before the Commission. DCS representatives have spoken at each of the Commission meetings and have been in regular contact with DRBC staff. As a result of DCS efforts, in 2008 the DRBC shut down the Matoushek well in Wayne County, PA that had been operating illegally without DRBC approval. As a result of an extensive campaign the DRBC postponed until further evaluation, approval of a water withdrawal application by Chesapeake Energy to withdraw one million gallons of water per day from the West Branch intended to facilitate hydro-fracing and horizontal drilling. DCS was instrumental in garnering support in opposition from regional elected officials, and various stakeholders including the NYC DEP and the National Park Service. DCS, with environmental attorney Jeff Zimmerman and world-renowned watershed expert Al Appleton lead the charge on this issue. 

NYH2O was formed June 2009 as a NYC based nonprofit membership organization. NYH2O and DCS working in tandem have been at the forefront on the gas drilling issue seeking to protect both the New York City Catskill/Delaware Watershed and the larger Delaware River Watershed, which overlap, and to influence NY state policies on gas drilling.  NYH2O has been going to every neighborhood in all five boroughs making presentations, mostly to Community Boards, alerting  them to the environmental risks posed by the gas drilling and asking them to pass resolutions seeking to protect New York City and New York State’s water resources. These resolutions are being forwarded to Governor Paterson and Commissioner Peter Grannis of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). The NYDEC currently has a de-facto moratorium on gas drilling in place while it determines its regulatory policies.

Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act is currently being considered by Congress in order to repeal the 2005 Energy Policy Act exemption that the oil and gas industry have from complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Congress has proposed this in order ensure that drinking water supplies are protected. DCS and NYH2O have written to PA and NY representatives asking them to support the FRAC Act in order to protect the health of the local and downstream communities. 

Albert F. Appleton served as Commissioner of Environmental Protection for the City of New York and designed and initiated the world-renowned New York City Catskill Watershed Protection Program. DCS has retained Appleton, a watershed management consultant.  He has been instrumental in engaging with public officials. Thus far, along with DCS representatives, Mr. Appleton has met with the Executive Director of the DRBC, the Secretary of the PADEP, Commissioner of the NYC DEP and various other state regulators and legislators. He has been telling public officials that once toxic fluids get into water sources, it is virtually impossible to get them out. He recommends prevention as the only effective strategy. Mr. Appleton testified at Rep. Hinchey’s Congressional Hearings on Gas Drilling. 


Jeffrey Zimmerman is a leading environmental attorney. He represented DCS at the July 15th DRBC hearing. Zimmerman asserted that the Commission is required by law to conduct an environmental impact study prior to considering any application related to gas extraction in the Delaware River Basin. DRBC has currently postponed allowing Chesapeake Appalachia to withdraw water in the Delaware River Basin.

Richard J. Lippes is an environmental litigation lawyer from Buffalo, NY, is part of the DCS legal team. In his highest profile case, Lippes successfully represented the victims in the Love Canal disaster in Niagara Falls, NY. Lippes has been assisting DCS in developing legal strategies to challenge the gas extraction activity proposed for this region.

Paul Schmidt is a leading Pennsylvania environmental attorney with the Philadelphia law firm of "Zarwin, Baum, DeVito, Kaplan, Schaer & Toddy". He is primary counsel to DCS on matters of PA state regulatory practice and procedure.


NYC Council Hearings held by NYC Councilman and geologist James F. Gennaro, focused on the proposed gas drilling in the New York City watershed. At the hearing Gennaro stated, “This is an activity that is completely and utterly inconsistent with a drinking water supply.” In addition to Mr. Appleton, DCS representatives testified and were asked to participate in several press conferences and public hearings with the Councilman.

State legislation is urgently needed in both New York and Pennsylvania to regulate gas extraction activities. DCS and its legal/watershed experts have been meeting with state representatives to develop this legislation. DCS is also working with groups across both states on a full-court press on the state legislatures after bills have been introduced. 

Partner Organizations: national and local environmental organizations that have been working closely with DCS. The list includes Delaware Riverkeeper, Catskill Mountainkeeper, NRDC, Earth Justice, Riverkeeper, OGAP, TDEX and other grassroots organizations  nationally and across the region. 

Best Civic Organization of 2008 was awarded to DCS by the River Reporter in their January 29, 2009 newspaper.