PA Environment Digest

Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, expressed concerns about environmental protection issues and budget cuts to some programs in the state Department of Environmental Protection at the Senate budget hearing on DEP this week.

Expressing his concern with illegal dumping of Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater and recycling efforts of wastewater, Sen. Yudichak said information on these practices have been limited and that better monitoring must be put in place to protect the water that Pennsylvanian citizens drink and use for recreational purposes.

"I have a strong interest in what happens to the wastewater from gas drilling operations," Sen. Yudichak said. "We need to develop a comprehensive plan that dispels discrepancies in how information is reported regarding wastewater recycling."

Sen. Yudichak called on the Department to step up the monitoring of Pennsylvania waters impacted by Marcellus Shale activities.

He also said he is concerned by how cuts in the Administration's budget proposal could be detrimental to environmental protection efforts in local communities.

"Funding for programs such as flood control and recycling are very important to Pennsylvania municipalities," Sen. Yudichak said. "Underfunding these programs could burden our local governments and increase adverse environmental impacts in our communities. We must find a way to continue supporting these programs."

Sen. Yudichak said the Administration's budget proposal calls for eliminating funding ($3.5 million) for flood control projects. He added that he hopes the governor will reconsider and restore funding.

"The Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority and officials from Exeter Borough have raised concerns about the 'severe' negative impact the elimination of funding for flood control projects will have on communities," Sen. Yudichak said. "Are we simply shifting this cost to local taxpayers, because many times the municipalities have no other funding options?"

Sen. Yudichak also raised the need for a clear energy policy to move Pennsylvania to forward in the development of coal to liquid fuel and natural gas to liquid fuel technologies.

"With the national average of gasoline rising to four dollars a gallon, it is time Pennsylvania move away from its dependence on foreign oil and develop its home grown resources like coal and natural gas," Sen. Yudichak said.

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