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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 9, 2014 03:23 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Stephen McCarter |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Legislation Requiring the Decommissioning of Abandoned Water Wells Near Natural Gas Drilling Sites |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation that would require the decommissioning of all abandoned water wells located on properties leased for the production of oil and natural gas. In Pennsylvania, the number of natural gas wells has increased exponentially during the past decade. This expansion is due to both the discovery of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation and the application of the drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing. This technique injects chemically-laden water down the well bore and into the geologic formation, thereby creating fissures in the shale, allowing the natural gas to be captured. Unfortunately, if there are abandoned water wells in the proximity of the well bore that have not been properly decommissioned, the hydraulic fracturing process may contaminate the aquifer through the migration of natural gas. As such, I believe it is imperative that we take steps to protect our water resources from the possibility of contamination. This legislation is a freestanding act that would require the operator of an oil or natural gas well to ensure that all abandoned water wells are properly decommissioned before any drilling activities take place on the property. |
Introduced as HB2422