The undersigned environmental and citizens’ organizations write to you regarding the final draft revisions to 25 PA Code Chapter 78 and 78a of the Oil and Gas Act. For too long, oil and gas operators in Pennsylvania have conducted their activities under outdated regulations and with virtual impunity—factors that have helped spur ever-growing impacts on water, air, and health.
The final draft Chapter 78 and 78a regulations released by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP or the Department) represent a significant step forward in aligning the state’s oil and gas regulations with new technologies and modern-day practices used at both conventional and unconventional well sites.
We ask for your support for the swift adoption and implementation of the regulations for both conventional and unconventional operators. Failure to do so would maintain the status quo of weak regulations that support environmentally damaging activities—which might be in the industry’s interest but most certainly is not in the public interest.