Rep. Maher Announces Intent To Introduce New Conventional Oil & Gas Legislation

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, Monday announced his intent, via a co-sponsor memo to colleagues, to introduce legislation to regulate conventional oil and gas well drilling differently than unconventional (Marcellus, Utica Shale) drilling operations.

“This past year has illustrated all too well that our current statute has inspired considerable confusion.  With the hope of resolving such confusion for the foreseeable future, I will be introducing legislation to separate conventional and unconventional activities into distinct sub-titles,” said Rep. Maher.  “The conventional aspect would be an updated version of the oil and gas act of 1984 and unconventional will be largely Act 13 of 2012 with some specific clarifications while those subjects are fresh in mind.”

There was no language for the bill as part of the co-sponsor memo.

This is a continuation of the controversy over DEP’s updated conventional drilling regulations which were killed when the General Assembly passed and Gov. Wolf signed Senate Bill 279 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) into law last week.

Rep. Maher supported Senate Bill 279 and opposed DEP’s drilling regulations.

Gov. Wolf said when he signed Senate Bill 279, “As part of the compromise I reached with the legislature, my administration will get to work immediately to redraft conventional regulations, and I have directed the Department of Environmental Protection to begin the process.”

That process will be further delayed with the General Assembly rewriting the state Oil and Gas Act.

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com.  Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

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