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Inside Climate News: Gov. Shapiro Provides Fresh Support To Key Changes Recommended In 2020 Grand Jury Report To Tighten Regulation Of The Natural Gas Drilling Industry To Better Protect Public Health, Environment

On April 16, Inside Climate News published a comprehensive article by Stacey Burling on issues surrounding the disposal of 2.6 billion gallons of conventional and shale gas drilling wastewater generated in Pennsylvania annually that included a statement from Gov. Shapiro’s office supporting “key recommendations” in a 2020 Grand Jury Report that concluded DEP’s oil and gas regulatory program failed to protect public health and the environment.

Inside Climate News quoted Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Gov. Josh Shapiro, as saying, Gov. Shapiro “supports implementing the report’s key recommendations” and believes “we must reject the false choice between protecting jobs and protecting our planet.”

The article also said DEP Acting Secretary Richard Negrin “has established an internal team to review the grand jury report and ‘determine the best policies to protect Pennsylvanians’ constitutional rights to clean air and pure water,’ the Governor’s Office said.

“It is considering a new criminal referral policy to improve “collaboration and efficiency” between the DEP and the attorney general’s office,” the article said.

The Grand Jury Report was released by then Attorney General Shapiro in June 2020 after what he said then was a two-year investigation uncovered systematic failure by government agencies in overseeing the fracking industry and fulfilling their responsibility to protect Pennsylvanians from the inherent risks of industry operations. Read more here.

The announcement in 2020 said in addition to exposing failures on the part of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health, the Grand Jury made eight recommendations to create a more comprehensive legal framework that would better protect Pennsylvanians from the realities of industry operations.

The recommendations included--

-- Expanding No-Drill Zones: Expanding no-drill zones in Pennsylvania from the required 500 feet to 2,500 feet;

-- Chemical Disclosure: Requiring fracking companies to publicly disclose all chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing before they are used on-site;

-- Gathering Pipelines: Requiring the regulation of gathering lines, used to transport unconventional gas hundreds of miles;

-- Assess Air Quality: Adding up all sources of air pollution in a given area to accurately assess air quality;

-- Safe Transport Of Waste: Requiring safer transport of the contaminated waste created from fracking sites;

-- Comprehensive Health Response: Conducting a comprehensive health response to the effects of living near unconventional drilling sites;

-- Limit Revolving Door: Limiting the ability of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection employees to be employed in the private sector immediately after leaving the Department;

-- Direct Criminal Jurisdiction: Allowing the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General original criminal jurisdiction over unconventional oil and gas companies.

Click Here for a copy of the Grand Jury Report. Read more here.

“Our government has a duty to set, and enforce, ground rules that protect public health and safety. We are the referees, we are here to prevent big corporations and the powerful industries from harming our communities or running over the rights of citizens,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “When it comes to fracking, Pennsylvania failed. Now it’s time to face the facts, and do what we can to protect the people of this commonwealth by encouraging the Department of Environmental Protection to partner with us and by passing the Grand Jurors’ common-sense reforms.”

More On Article

The Inside Climate News article is a comprehensive report on what happens to the 2.6 billion gallons of drilling wastewater generated every year in Pennsylvania-- where it does for disposal or recycling, waste injection well development, problems with the conventional and shale gas wastewater reporting system, road dumping of conventional drilling wastewater and much more.

Click Here to read the entire article.

NewsClip:

-- Inside Climate News - Stacey Burling: Awash In Toxic Wastewater From Conventional, Shale Gas Drilling For Natural Gas, Pennsylvania Faces A Disposal Reckoning

Related Articles - Grand Jury Report:

-- AG Shapiro: Grand Jury Finds Pennsylvania Failed To Protect Citizens During Natural Gas Fracking Boom [PaEN]

-- House Bill Would Expand Safety Zones Around Oil/Gas Wells, Infrastructure To Reduce Adverse Health, Environmental Impacts As Recommended By AG Shapiro’s Grand Jury Report [PaEN]

Impacts On Families - Oil & Gas Facilities

-- Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Facility Malfunction Dec. 27 Released 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas; Same Facility Plagued Community With Blowdowns 3 Times A Day, 7 Days A Week For Nearly 10 Years Until Criminal Charges Brought Against CNX [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Ongoing Water Donation Drive Helping Dozens Of Greene County Families Who Haven’t Had Clean Drinking Water Since June Following Alleged ‘Frack-Out’ At Natural Gas Well Site [PaEN]

-- Oil & Gas Industry Impacts: Navy Veterans Patrick & Helen Robinson Relate Their 7-Year Struggle Dealing With Impacts Of Mariner East Pipeline Construction In Indiana County, And They Continue [PaEN]

-- Oil & Gas Industry Impacts: Cambria County Family Sues Sunoco After 3 Years Of Dealing With Damage To Home, Well, Septic System, Property From Mariner East Pipeline Construction [PaEN]

-- Washington County Family Lawsuit Alleges Shale Gas Company Violated The Terms Of Their Lease By Endangering Their Health, Contaminating Their Water Supply And Not Protecting Their Land [PaEN]