Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, sent out an email Thursday postponing the May 7 Committee hearing on DEP’s proposed final Chapter 78 drilling regulations.

“Yesterday afternoon, the Department of Environmental Protection advised House staff that Acting Secretary John Quigley has declined the invitation to appear at the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing next week on what DEP has published as an "Advance Notice of Final Rulemaking" for Oil & Gas regulations referred to as Chapter 78 and 78A,” said Rep. Maher.

“This hearing was postponed from its originally scheduled date to accommodate DEP' when it announced a series of hearings on the subject.  DEP now advises that Acting Secretary Quigley has a "scheduling conflict" on May 7,” he said.  “Acting Secretary Quigley's testimony is essential and, accordingly, the May 7th hearing is postponed with the hope that a hearing date might be discovered that will not present a "scheduling conflict" for Mr. Quigley.”

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair of the Committee.

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5/4/2015