PennFuture signals support for revisions to proposed state oil and gas regulations

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PennFuture today signaled its support for comments made by John Quigley, acting secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as he announced revisions to the state's proposed oil and gas drilling regulations as listed in 25 Pa. Code Chapter 78 (for conventional oil and gas operations) and Chapter 78a (for unconventional oil and gas operations).

The revised proposal is an update to regulations that were proposed by DEP in December 2013. Those draft regulations were the subject of more than 24,000 comments from stakeholders on all sides of the issue. PennFuture submitted detailed comments urging DEP to strengthen the regulations to better protect public health and the environment. The organization was gratified to learn that the revised regulations are expected to incorporate many of the ideas included in its 46-page comment letter, including:

• elimination of the use of well-site waste storage pits by unconventional well operators;
• permitting of centralized wastewater impoundments only through the Residual Waste Regulations at 25 Pa. Code Chapter 299, which have more stringent engineering requirements and environmental protections than those the DEP originally proposed to include in Chapter 78;
• extension of the time period for agencies in charge of "public resources" to review and comment on plans for oil and gas drilling operations that may impact public resources; and
• explicit language making clear that a drinking water supply contaminated by oil and gas operations must be restored to the better of pre-drill conditions or Safe Drinking Water Act standards.

"We're pleased to hear Acting Secretary Quigley emphasize the importance of 'protecting public health and the environment,' and undertaking a process that is 'thoughtful, deliberate, and transparent,' as DEP moves toward finalizing these vital regulations by spring of 2016," said John Norbeck, acting president and CEO of PennFuture. "It is paramount that we have strong rules of the road for oil and gas operations in the state. Our citizens have been demanding this, as witnessed by the 70 percent of Pennsylvanians who support the direct regulation of methane emissions."

The environmental advocacy organization will review the draft Chapter 78 regulations in full when they are made available by DEP.  It will then offer additional comment during the upcoming 30-day period for public participation.

PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization founded in 1998 with offices in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre. The organization's activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state, and federal courts; advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level; public education; and assisting citizens in public advocacy.

Contact: Elaine Labalme [email protected]
412.996.4112

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SOURCE PennFuture

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