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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 9, 2022 03:37 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Christopher M. Rabb |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Ensuring Transparency of Fracked Gas Operations |
| Despite Pennsylvania being one of only two states in the U.S. that has environmental stewardship secured as constitutional mandate, our commonwealth become the second largest producer of fracked gas nationwide. Thus, as long as corporations continue to invest in hydraulic fracking amid the climate crisis, we must tie their legal right to operate with a high level of responsibility given their dependence on our public infrastructure funded by our tax dollars. This means we must broaden and deepen transparency measures around their operations. To that end, my forthcoming legislation (formerly HB 2724) would amend Title 58 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to further provide for well reporting requirements. This legislation would provide for the reporting of impacts on communities and public resources caused by unconventional shale gas production. Specifically, under this legislation, well operators would be required to report the following annually: —The amount a well operator has expended or has agreed to pay for temporary water supplies for affected residents; —The number of non-disclosure agreements a well operator has signed with individuals; —The impact of operations on infrastructure and public resources, including but not limited to: —Publicly owned parks, forests, game lands, and wildlife areas; —National or state scenic rivers; —National natural landmarks; —Habitats of rare and endangered flora and fauna; —Historical and archeological sites listed on the federal and state list of historic places; —Sources of public drinking water supplies; —Drainage systems; —Energy facilities which generate and distribute power; —Sewer systems; —Transportation facilities, including roads, bridges, and rails; and, —Water supply facilities. The reports would be made publicly available through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website. For over a decade, incidents near well sites have raised concerns about the impact fracked gas operations have on the environment and safety of Pennsylvania’s residents and wildlife. As such, I believe the public has a right to know what is being done to protect what we as a commonwealth — in a unanimous, bipartisan effort — enshrined as an environmental imperative in our constitution over 50 years ago. Please join me in supporting this important transparency measure. |
Introduced as HB1003
Memo Updated: December 9, 2022 03:38 PM