Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

Dear Colleague;

I respectfully ask that you join me in sponsoring legislation that clarifies the role of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) as it relates to protecting waters in the Delaware River Basin region.

Regrettably, the DRBC appears to be disregarding terms of the Interstate Compact by overruling the authority of the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) when it comes to the proposed regulation that would permanently ban hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin. This action by the DRBC is a classic example of what is called “mission creep”.

My proposed legislation is a measure to prevent a further expansion of that self-assumed authority (“mission creep”) by the DRBC.

It is foreseen that the Delaware River Basin Commission will likely attempt to regulate installation and maintenance of onlot septic systems. These systems are regulated by DEP under the authority of Act 537. The technology used to install an onlot septic system must be approved by the Department, per Act 26 of 2017. A permit is issued by DEP to approve the construction. Compliance with these rules is also governed by DEP along with help of Sewage Enforcement Officers (SEOs), local officials or contractors whose activities are also regulated by Act 537 and DEP. This fear that Act 537 and the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulatory authority will be ignored by the Delaware River Basin Commission is real and, as such, necessitates legislative safeguarding.

Jonathan Fritz, 111th District