Pa. bill may relax environmental laws for conventional drillers
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Pennsylvania legislators recently passed a bill to relax environmental laws governing conventional drillers and it’s heading to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk, according to State Impact Pennsylvania.
The bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), would set less rigorous environmental standards for conventional drillers, who drill shallower vertical wells, than the ones for unconventional operators, who utilize horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.
Wolf’s office has previously said he would veto the bill, as it “poses an undeniable risk to the health and safety of our citizens, the environment, and our public resources.”
Learn more: State Impact Pennsylvania > Bill heading to Pa. governor may relax environmental laws for conventional drillers
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.