Scott Perry, DEP Deputy Secretary For Oil and Gas Management, gave DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council an update on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Program.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale was scheduled to make a presentation to Council on his agency’s audit of the Marcellus Shale Water Protection Programs, but canceled at the last minute.

Perry pointed to dramatic increases in field inspections made by DEP which since 2008 increased from 1,262 to nearly 13,400 in 2013.  As a result, he said, the number of violations has dropped significantly from 25 percent of operations to 4 percent as drilling operators became more familiar with DEP oil and gas regulations.

Perry said the agency is nearly finished updating its enforcement policy for the Oil and Gas Program and plans to release proposed revisions in October.

In response to questions, he said the mismatch between driller-reported waste shipments and landfill records showing how much waste was received was “troubling.”  Perry said DEP is conducting an investigation into the issue and has already uncovered discrepancies on waste numbers reported by landfill operators to DEP and drilling companies.

Council passed a resolution to recognize Pat Lupo, OSB from Erie, for her 26 years of dedicated service on Council.  Pat has served on Council since her initial appointment by Gov. Robert P. Casey in 1988.  (See separate story)

Council also heard a presentation by Randy Pomponio, U.S. EPA Region III Director of Environmental Assessment and Innovation on the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule proposed by EPA and a very general overview of how the Department of Health handles complaints on health-related issues from drilling operations from Dr. Ram Nambiar, Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology.

The Public Participation Committee of Council reported on the status of its survey of DEP advisory committees soliciting recommendations on how to improve DEP’s Advisory Committee Technical Guidance.

Click Here for a copy of DEP’s Monthly Report on Activities.

The next meeting of the Council is October 21 in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building, Harrisburg.

For more information, visit DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council webpage or contact Michele Tate, Council Executive Director, by sending email to: mtate@pa.gov.

Related Story

DEP Citizens Advisory Council Recognizes Pat Lupo, OSB Of Erie

9/22/2014