A Town of Delaware methane baseline study, measuring the levels of natural ambient methane in the town, will be unveiled at the Delaware Youth Center on Sunday, August 24, from 12 noon until 2 p.m. The report on the baseline study was completed earlier this year and the findings for the town are in.

Participating in the event will be data collection expert Bob Ackley of Gas Safety, Inc. and Barbara Arrindell, director of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS). Everyone is welcome and there is no admission fee.

According to DCS, “Methane baseline studies give the community the assurance of knowing what the methane levels are prior to any gas drilling coming to town. The study gives us a scientific insurance policy for protecting the future. The study’s findings may deter the industry, since we now have data, admissible in court, on methane levels before any drilling takes place.”

The study was performed by Gas Safety, Inc., an industry leader in methane and gas leak detection, and by Bryce R. Payne Jr., Ph.D., a researcher at Wilkes University. Ambient methane levels on all public roads throughout the Town of Delaware were measured and translated into an easy-to-read map with graph lines showing areas of greater or lesser natural methane concentrations.

The reports will be filed with the Town of Delaware, Sullivan County, Delaware River Basin Commission and New York State.

DCS is seeking donations. In a letter they wrote, “We would greatly appreciate any donation you can offer, as we initially only raised about one fifth of the study cost. DCS covered the $8,000 balance, in the hope that we would be able to get more funds after the study was conducted. Cash and checks will be accepted on August 24.

Please make checks out to: DCS (501C3), or you can make a donation via PayPal at the DCS website. Please note your donation to go toward the Town of Delaware methane baseline study. Also, if paying by check, note on the check, Town of Delaware baseline study on the memo section. If you cannot join us, checks can be mailed to: DCS P.O. Box 35 Narrowsburg, NY 12764.”

For more information call 845/252-6677.