The Department of Environmental Protection Thursday delivered the final Chapter 78 (conventional) and 78A (unconventional) drilling regulations to the House and Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committees and to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission for their review.

The IRRC has scheduled a meeting for April 21 to consider the regulation. 

The Committees have up until 24 hours before the IRRC meeting to tell the Commission they want to exercise their right to review the regulation.  Only action by one Committee is needed for this notice.

The Committees have up until 14 calendar days after they receive the IRRC order for its meeting on the regulation to report out a concurrent Senate-House resolution disapproving the regulation to the full House or Senate for action.  The resolution can start in either chamber.

The Senate and House have 30 calendar days or 10 voting session days, whichever is longer, from the date the resolution is reported out of Committee to pass the concurrent resolution disapproving the regulation and present it to the Governor for his action.

The Senate and House return to voting session March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 and April April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee already has a meeting set for March 16 for which no agenda has been announced.  It will be held in Room B-31 Main Capitol starting at 9:30.

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com.  Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.  He can be contacted by sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov.  Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair.  He can be contacted by sending email to: yudichak@pasenate.com.

The IRRC meeting will be held at the IRRC office at 333 Market St., 14th Floor starting at 9:00 a.m.

For more information on the regulation, visit DEP’s Oil and Gas Surface Regulations webpage.

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3/7/2016