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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Phyllis Mundy |
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House committee approves
Mundy Marcellus Shale legislation
HARRISBURG, Sept. 14 – Legislation introduced by state Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Luzerne, to create a simple, transparent tracking and reporting system for Marcellus Shale waste and urge Congress to pass the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act (FRAC Act) today was approved by the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
House Bill 381 would ensure that waste, such as drilling mud and frac water, generated by Marcellus Shale wells is properly disposed of and not illegally dumped by requiring well operators to semi-annually report the following information to the state Department of Environmental Protection:
· the amount of each type of waste generated by the well; and
· each facility that accepted the waste for disposal, treatment, or reuse, including the amount of each type of waste accepted by the facility.
The bill would also require that this information be posted on the department’s website.
House Bill 381 builds on Act 15 of 2010, which requires Marcellus Shale well operators to report well production data on a semi-annual basis to DEP.
House Resolution 864 urges Congress to pass the FRAC Act, which would repeal a provision in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act known as the "Halliburton Loophole." The loophole exempts oil and gas drilling industries from restrictions on hydraulic fracturing operations located near drinking water sources. Additionally, the FRAC Act would require oil and gas industries to disclose all hydraulic fracturing chemicals and chemical constituents currently considered proprietary rights of the company.
"Without appropriate laws and regulations, wastewater from drilling has the potential to cause irreversible damage to our water supplies," Mundy said. "Only a few days remain before we adjourn and start from scratch in the next legislative session. We cannot afford to wait until then to start addressing these critical issues."
The bills now move to the full House of Representatives for a vote.
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