Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre) and Sen. Gene Yaw, Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, submitted a letter to DEP dated February 6 raising significant concerns with the proposed methane emission limits on oil and gas operations.

The Senators’ questions included asking for the specific statutory and rulemaking authority for the proposal, the justification for including only the unconventional oil and gas industry in its requirements, any cost or economic impact analysis performed by DEP, evidence DEP has the existing process is not working and the scientific studies or analysis DEP did to justify the specific emission limitations contained in the permit criteria.

The letter said in part, “We are concerned that the proposed revisions to the existing GP5, and the creation of a new permit for well sites and pigging operations, adds new degrees of complexity to the permitting and site construction process that may significant impair the competitiveness of the Commonwealth and strongly discourage the investment of private capital into Pennsylvania.”

The Senators asked a total of 21 questions in the 3-page letter they submitted to DEP.

A copy of the Senate letter is posted on DEP’s eComment system under the methane proposal.  Click Here to see copies of other comments submitted so far as well as a copy of the proposal.  The deadline for public comments is now March 22.

(Photo: Senators Scarnati, Corman and Yaw.)

NewsClips:

Rep. Metcalf Slams DEP Strategy For Limiting Methane Leaks

Rep. Metcalfe Says DEP Skirting Regulatory Review With Methane Proposal

Letter: Unnecessary Methane Limits Will Harm Jobs, Do Nothing For Air Quality

Related Story:

Drexel: Methane Levels Have Increased In Shale Region Despite Dip In Well Installation

[Posted: Feb. 16, 2017]

2/20/2017