Environmental board OKs proposed oil, gas regulations
The state Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday that the Environmental Quality Board approved a proposed regulation that will strengthen environmental protection performance standards associated with oil and gas activities.
DEP said in a news release the proposed rulemaking reflects significant input from statewide environmental organizations, local government groups, residents living near well sites and industry representatives who have met with DEP over the past two years to share their expertise in shaping the proposal.
The draft regulation includes provisions further enhancing the consideration of impacts to public resources, such as parks and wildlife areas; the prevention of spills; the management of waste; and the restoration of well sites after drilling.
Additionally, the draft rulemaking also includes standards affecting the construction of gathering lines and temporary pipelines, and includes provisions for identifying and monitoring abandoned wells close to well sites.
The department has recommended increasing the public comment period for the proposal from the normal 30 days with one public hearing, to a 60-day comment period with at least six public hearings across the state to gather as much public input as possible.
The draft regulation will be reviewed by the attorney general’s office and the Office of General Counsel.
After the offices’ review, the comment period will be opened and the public invited to submit written comments to the EQB.
Details on where comments can be submitted on the draft rulemaking will be provided when the proposal is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and on DEP’s website.
The dates and locations of the six public hearings will be announced by the EQB in the near future on the website and through a news release issued by the department.
To view materials for the proposed regulation, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click the “Draft Oil and Gas Regulations” button.