Act now on new drilling regulations

http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/our-voice-act-now-on-new-drilling-regulations-1.841199

Our Voice: Act now on new drilling regulations
Published: June 13, 2010

The state Department of Environmental Protection’s assurances last week that the gas companies with drilling leases next to local reservoirs will be “very careful” not to spoil the source of our drinking water is not very, well, reassuring.

It is hard to have much trust in the energy industry while plumes of offshore oil taint the Gulf of Mexico, chemicals from gas drilling foul drinking wells in Susquehanna County and a well blowout in Clearfield County spews polluted water over prime forest land.

That same industry now holds leases to drill for gas in Marcellus Shale deposits within 100 feet of the Huntsville and Ceasetown reservoirs, which supply drinking water to 100,000 people in Luzerne County.

It is nothing short of shocking that there is no state law on the books forbidding gas drilling adjacent to a source of drinking water and no requirement that water suppliers be notified of leases so close to their reservoirs.

Still the Great Gas Rush continues as energy companies hurry to “drill here, drill now” while the Pennsylvania General Assembly stalls on putting proper regulations, inspections and taxes in place.

Our representatives in Harrisburg must act with more urgency to craft new rules for gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale deposits that underlie most of the state, and, if necessary, slow or completely halt the issuing of drilling permits until those rules can be enforced.

The public can’t count on the carefulness of energy companies to preserve our environment and water resources. That is why we have regulations. And in the case of Marcellus Shale drilling, Pennsylvania needs more of them.