Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

All Pennsylvanians deserve the opportunity to live in healthier communities with clean air.  This is why Pennsylvania residents have the right to know the locality in which a well is currently located or will be located.   It is for this reason that I am proposing that Pennsylvania require public notice be given to communities in which a natural gas drilling permit application has been submitted.

This legislation would require that well operators provide public notice of a permit application through newspaper publication. The notice would appear in a newspaper that is published in the locality in which the permit has been applied for prior to the filing of an application with the Pennsylvania Department Environmental of Protection.  Additionally, the notice would be required to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper publication.  Well Operators would also be required to include proof of the publication with their permit applications.

Pennsylvania is the second largest producer of natural gas in the nation behind Texas.  Therefore, Pennsylvania is positioned to be a leader in addressing clear air and climate change concerns while protecting public health and addressing environmental concerns.  A critical component of achieving this goal is making sure residents are aware of what is happening in their communities.  This may be accomplished by requiring that public notice announcements are given to the public, for all natural gas permit applications.
This legislation is key to ensuring that Pennsylvanian’s are informed of important environmental changes that are taking place in their communities.  Please join me in supporting this legislation.