DEP chief seeks tougher oversight of Marcellus Shale drilling
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HARRISBURG -- The state's top environmental official wants the state Legislature to enact laws to reinforce his regulatory power to control safety at Marcellus Shale drilling sites.
John Hanger, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, told the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Wednesday that putting his powers into law would protect the state from potential lawsuits challenging his authority. That is particularly true as Marcellus Shale drilling expands throughout the state, he said.
Mr. Hanger said he will submit a list of amendments to the state's Oil and Gas Act "to make it clear that the department can withhold permits from companies that act in an unsafe manner."
The agency continues to hire more inspectors to check the growing number of natural gas wells being drilled by the expanding Marcellus Shale industry. So far there are 167 inspectors, with the number to top 190 in several months. The extra staffing is paid by increased permit fees for drillers. So far, 3,800 permits for wells have been issued, with drilling begun at 1,500 sites. They are needed as gas well drilling increases across the state, especially in western and northcentral Pennsylvania.
In a few more years, Pennsylvania will likely be producing 10 percent of all the natural gas produced in the U.S., Mr. Hanger said, because of the huge amount of gas in the widespread Marcellus Shale areas throughout the state.
As the Marcellus gas industry expands, Mr. Hanger said he has made safety in drilling the deep underground wells a top priority for the department and repeatedly tells the gas industry that safety should be its top goal, too.
"We've told the industry that safety can't be sacrificed, and not to allow profit to trump safety," he said. "There will be serious consequences if safety is lax."
First Published June 17, 2010 12:00 am
