I was not surprised to learn that emissions from Pennsylvania’s under-regulated gas industry are on the rise (“Pennsylvania DEP Says Emissions Increased From Expanding Natural Gas Industry,” April 20). For years drillers have been coming to Pennsylvania in droves to take advantage of our state’s rich shale play knowing that rules requiring operators to manage their air pollution are few and far between.
It’s no surprise that the American Lung Association repeatedly ranks Pennsylvania’s drilling counties among the lowest in the state in terms of air quality.
But I was puzzled by the assertion that methane pollution is decreasing as a result of “strong state-based regulations,” according to the Marcellus Shale Coalition president. There are no rules in Pennsylvania that directly target methane pollution, yet the PG quotes a pro-gas lobbyist as saying they are delivering “meaningful environmental results.”
The fact is the only entity keeping an eye on methane pollution is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, not our DEP and certainly not the drillers themselves. In fact in areas where EPA does not require emission reductions, methane pollution actually increased.
We can’t trust drillers to voluntarily take control of the methane pollution; we need DEP to enact strong methane standards to cut harmful air pollution from the oil and gas industry.
JENNY LISAK
Punxsutawney, Pa.
First Published: April 29, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
