| Letter to the editor | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Greg Vitali
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Editor:
"Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" was the phrase that came to mind as I read the Sept. 21 article “DEP reorganizes to oversee Marcellus drilling.”
Although I appreciate Secretary Michael Krancer’s attempt to improve the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the fact remains that this department’s budget has been decimated in recent years.
The budget signed by Gov. Corbett in June dropped the DEP’s state funding to $135 million — $10 million less than last year and $65 million less than 2006-07. Former DEP Secretary John Hanger recently stated that “DEP cannot do its mission reasonably” with a budget below $170 million. DEP staff has been cut about 10 percent over the past five years. In February, Corbett proposed eliminating 69 more positions.
I have spoken with DEP personnel charged with regulating Marcellus drilling and they tell me they need more help: more oil and gas inspectors, more water quality and solid waste specialists, and more staff for air permitting and sampling. In addition to rearranging the deck chairs of the DEP, Corbett needs to restore the DEP’s funding to a reasonable level.
Rep. Greg Vitali, Haverford
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