Forty-two faith, conservation and environmental organizations and businesses today sent Gov. Corbett a letter asking him to order Acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Krancer to rescind a pilot policy that requires the Secretary to approve enforcement and other actions dealing with Marcellus Shale natural gas well development.
"Preventing DEP inspectors from issuing notices of violations of environmental laws unnecessarily delays resolution of problems and conditions that pose threats to natural resources, worker safety and public health," said Jan Jarrett, President and CEO of PennFuture. "We need DEP to let on-the-ground inspectors do their jobs."
The DEP issued the new policy in March in a memo from Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs John Hines. The email applies only to Marcellus shale gas drilling and requires any actions or notices of violation to get approval from a series of DEP officials and finally the secretary before any action can be taken. Jeff Schmidt, Director of Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter said, "We're calling on the Governor to cancel this pilot policy and take the handcuffs off of our environmental cops. We need prompt action to stop polluters, not bureaucratic delay."
In the letter, the groups point out: "A series of accidents, spills, and groundwater contamination incidents, and reports by the media about weaknesses in Pennsylvania's regulatory framework and enforcement capabilities, have created widespread public doubt that horizontal drilling and hydrofracking can be done safely. One of the primary ways that the Commonwealth can address those concerns is to adopt a zero tolerance policy for violations of environmental protections at drilling operations."
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