12/16/24 - 110 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3ubmzu7a
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Rep. Conklin Introduces Bill On Emergency Response At Oil And Gas Wells
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Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Mifflin) this week introduced a bill designed to enhance emergency response if needed at oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania. Conklin's legislation-- House Bill 2683-- would be similar, yet Pennsylvania-specific, to that of U.S. Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa) called the Faster Action Safety Team Emergency Response Act, or FASTER.
"On the state level, my bill would involve the Department of Labor and Industry," Rep. Conklin said. "We have drilling sites unique to Pennsylvania and this would allow us to develop policies and regulations that fit our mold.
"Two incidences immediately come to mind where this bill could have applied: the Clearfield County blowout and the Indiana Township accident. Higher safety standards have the ability to minimize potential hazards."
Under Rep. Conklin's bill, the Secretary of Labor and Industry could develop regulations that would require an employee trained in emergency response to be present at the well during exploration and drilling, require a certified response team to be based within one hour of travel time from a well site, require contact with local emergency responders within 15 minutes and the Department of Labor and Industry within one hour of the beginning of an emergency and provide annual training for emergency personnel related to well-site hazards.
"Oil and gas well operators also would have to file an annual report with the department of detailed information outlining the work of a response at each of their wells," Rep. Conklin said. "In Centre County, we stand to benefit from this locally because the Mid-State Airport is an ideal place to house an emergency response team. Its central location provides access to many current drilling sites."
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9/6/2010 |
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