MEADVILLE —
Are Pennsylvania’s oil and gas regulations too stringent or not stringent enough?
Representatives on both sides of the issue as well as those in-between
testified Wednesday night in Meadville at a public hearing by
Pennsylvania’s Environmental Quality Board on proposed changes to
Pennsylvania’s oil and gas regulations. The final form of the
regulations are expected to be enacted by the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection by 2015.
Thirty-seven people testified at the hearing which attracted more than
200 people to the auditorium at Meadville Area Senior High School.
Bonnie McManus of Adamsville, who represented the League of Women
Voters of Pennsylvania, said the League’s position was the changes
didn’t go far enough — particularly when it comes to open pits for
temporary storage or impoundment of materials at all well sites.
“Proposed regulations are inadequate to prevent catastrophic risks to
public health and the environment,” McManus said. “Even the most
sophisticated detection systems, sump pumps, monitoring wells and
requirements to fill out forms to monitor leakage cannot prevent
irreparable damages from impoundment releases.”
McManus said a possible two-year restoration period after drilling
activity is “unacceptable and fails to remove public risk in a timely
manner.”
“Land application of any residual waste substance, fill or dredge must
be prohibited,” she said. “In most cases, the composition of these
wastes and their risks are unknown.”
Joy Ruff of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a trade association for the
natural gas industry, said the organization promotes responsible shale
gas development.
“Our state is recognized for having some of the nation’s strongest
regulations on oil and gas development,” Ruff said. “We do not need
onerous rules, but rather we must continue to invest in a highly-trained
and competent local workforce.”
Ruff said the organization is concerned some of the proposed regulation
changes would “provide little to no additional benefit for our natural
environment and will weaken Pennsylvania’s ability to sustain shale
development to benefit our residents.”
Ruff said the coalition believes requiring the oil and gas industry to
upgrade private water supplies near a site beyond what they were prior
to drilling activity was unreasonable.
“Such a double-standard, applying only to the oil and gas industry, is unjust and punitive,” Ruff said.
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