House Committee Hears Comments On Marcellus Shale Drilling, Moves Recycling Fee Bill

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a mini-hearing on Marcellus Shale drilling and reported three bills out of Committee, including an extension of the $2/ton Recycling Fee, a bill to encourage bioenergy crops on reclaimed mine lands and limits on certain State Park fees.

 

The bills reported out include:

 

-- House Bill 136 (Brooks-R-Crawford) providing for the use of bioenergy crops in the reclamation of mined lands;

 

-- House Bill 1027 (Phillips-R-Northumberland) prohibiting DCNR from charging fees for trailer sites for individuals 80 or more; and

 

-- House Bill 961 (Buxton-D-Dauphin) extending the $2/ton Recycling Fee through December 2015.

Marcellus Shale Hearing

 

The Committee also heard comments on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling during a second part of the meeting--

 

Jan Jarrett, PennFuture, said her organizations supports the proposed severance tax on natural gas production and said the Department of Environmental Protection should impose more stringent limits on water discharges from drilling sites, track the volume of brine disposed by each well and increase bonding amounts for each well drilled.

 

Howard Neukrug, Director of Watersheds for the Philadelphia Water Department, highlighted the impact that drilling in Marcellus Shale could have on Philadelphia's drinking water supply. He noted DEP was trying to make the extraction of natural gas, economically, environmentally and socially viable, but said a comprehensive watershed management approach is needed. He said forest loss, in particular, is fundamental to preserving drinking water supplies.

 

Ray Walker, Range Resources' Marcellus Shale Division, provided an overview of the drilling process and said increased regulation of the drilling industry is not needed, nor is the proposed severance tax.

 

Rep. Bud George (D-Clearfield) serves as Majority Chair and Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as Minority Chair.