The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Leni Santoro

We left Wurtsboro, NY on Friday, August 14, about 9:30 a.m. and headed down to Philadelphia where our trip would begin. In hand were a few E-mail addresses and phone numbers of people to contact along the way, and a determination to follow the Delaware River as closely as possible, stopping at every chance to invite people along the river to celebrate the river on September 6 by pouring a single cup of water into the river at 7 p.m. and lighting a candle at 7:30 p.m.

Our first rest and phone stop was a McDonald’s in Flemington, NJ.

Liz got out her cell phone and starting calling people on her list. Not much luck at this point in the Flemington area, but she did make contact with Mark Barbash in Philadelphia. We got back on the road and continued to head to Philadelphia.

Try to imagine what it would be like for you, the reader, if two women you had never heard of called you on the phone and said, “Can we come and talk to you about gas drilling, fracking and a Labor Day weekend Party the length of the Delaware from Philadelphia, PA to Hancock, NY?” What would your reaction be? Mark’s reaction was to give us directions to his house.

Sometimes getting lost is a pain in the neck, but sometimes getting lost is a gift in disguise. We had our share of “gifts” in the three days it took to go from Wurtsboro to Philly to Hancock and back to Wurtsboro. The first of these “gifts” was given us on the way to Mark’s house.

Having gone over a bridge on I-676 we knew we were headed in the wrong direction, so Liz pulled over just as Mark called to see where we were. It gave us our first real photo-op of the day – Liz’s Prius parked in front of the City of Philadelphia – Water Department  – Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant.

We backtracked and met Mark standing in front of his door waiting for us.

Mark is retired. He is active in the Philadelphia Tree Tender and is also involved in The Sierra Club. It was the Sierra Club, he said, that asked him to get involved in water and environmental problems. We got his name and number from the Damascus Citizens for Sustainability.

“I made the Sierra Club [in PA] aware, they were not aware that there was a problem,” said Mark. “I haven’t really done very much this summer, but I would be glad to take you over to the Constitution Center.” He also brought us to The Fairmont Waterworks.

The Fairmont Water Works, a National Historic Landmark, served as a pumping station providing water to the residents and businesses in Philadelphia from 1815 to 1909. Since it’s opening in 2003, the Interpretative Center’s mission, at the site of the Waterworks, has been to promote stewardship of water resources by helping people make responsible decisions about their use of land and water.

At the Waterworks we spoke with Administrative Services Specialist, Emilie Hickerson about the processes involved in natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale, hydro-fracturing and the Delaware Water Basin. She was then kind enough to take this photo of Liz and I with Mark Barbash and Sanam Waheep – Public Relations.

Mark then brought us to the EPA office in Philadelphia so that we could leave our information and river party invitation with them. Unfortunately the “PIC” office that deals with the public was closed and there was nowhere for us to leave the information.

Then it was off to Constitution Hall. It seemed appropriate, to mark the start of the trip, to take a photograph in front of Constitution Hall. Two wonderful ladies were passing by and kindly agreed to take the photo. (see photo above) We didn’t get their names, but if someday they stumble across this journal we want to thank them and let them know how much their time and effort meant to us.

We dropped Mark back at his house, all the while listening as we drove to Mark described the wonders of his city as he pointed out the shops and the murals. “There is even a Mural Tour you can take,” he said. We promised to come back again and keep in touch. Then it was time to get back on the road. It was now late afternoon.

To view photos or to purchase prints from Two Grannies River Trip Diary visit the Chronicle at Zenfolio.