PA DEP opens oil and gas rules for public comment

Starting Saturday, December 14, the public is invited to comment on major revisions to Pennsylvania’s oil and gas regulations, the Department of Environmental Protection announced this afternoon.
The proposed rules would address surface impacts of drilling, including well pads, impoundments and pipelines, and consider impacts to public resources like parks and wildlife areas. The rules would set regulatory policy for requirements laid out in the state’s natural gas drilling law known as Act 13 or the “impact fee law.”
The Environmental Quality Board will hold two webinars and a series of hearings throughout the 60-day public comment period.

More details from the DEP’s press release:

Editor’s Note: The public hearings will be held at 6 p.m. A list of locations and dates follows:
Wyoming County
Jan. 7, 2014, Tunkhannock High School Auditorium, 135 Tiger Drive, Tunkhannock, PA 18657
Chester County
Jan. 9, 2014, West Chester University of Pennsylvania’s Sykes Student Union Theater, 110 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester, PA 19383
Lycoming County
Jan. 13, 2014, Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Klump Academic Center, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701 
Crawford County
Jan. 15, 2014, Meadville Area Senior High School Auditorium, 930 North Street, Meadville, PA 16335
Cumberland County
Jan. 16, 2014, Good Hope Middle School Auditorium, 451 Skyport Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Washington County
Jan. 22, 2014, Washington and Jefferson College’s Rossin Campus Center / Allen Ballroom, 60 South Lincoln Street, Washington, PA 15301
Indiana County
Jan. 23, 2014, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Convention and Athletic Complex, 711 Pratt Drive, Indiana, PA 15705

The DEP will host two webinars on Thursday, December 19, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Friday, Jan. 3, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., to answer questions. For registration, click here.
For more information about signing up to speak at a public hearing or submitting comments online or via mail, click here.

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