Energy Environmental Blog

PA: Review of DEP Oversight of Unconventional Gas Drilling

Written by Greg Russell | Jul 27, 2014 3:11:29 PM

According to this news release, the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s Office recently issued a report finding "no instances where DEP [i.e., the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection] failed to protect public health, safety or the environment with respect to unconventional gas drilling activities."  But there were some hiccups ... not necessarily agreed with by the DEP:  E.g., "Findings that DEP disagrees with include that 'DEP did not routinely and consistently issue orders requiring oil and gas operators to restore or replace adversely impacted water supplies as required by law.' In these instances, orders were not necessary. The operators in those instances had already remediated the affected water supplies without an order."

Interesting.  Read it all.