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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep.
Scott Conklin |
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Conklin introduces bills on public notice of drilling permits
HARRISBURG, Dec. 17 – Centre County state Rep. Scott Conklin said he introduced two pieces of legislation aimed to increase public awareness of natural gas operators' intent to apply for a drilling permit.
House Bills 2183 and 2184 would amend the Oil and Gas Act and the Oil and Gas Conservation Law by creating notice requirements for natural permit applications.
"Especially now with natural gas drilling on the rise, we need to keep the public at the head of the class with available information," Conklin said. "They have the right to know who, what, when, where when it comes to drilling site permits."
Conklin added the proposals would require well operators, before filing an application for a drilling permit, to give public notice of the filing within a local newspaper published where the permit would be applied. Under the bills, the notice must appear in the publication once a week for four consecutive weeks.
"The notice requirement process would be similar to those for coal mining in Pennsylvania," Conklin said. "This should allow enough time to keep the public well informed while still moving forward with the drillers' intent."
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