Pennsylvania DEP announces members of the Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee (COGAC)
Monday, March 23, 2015
HARRISBURG, PA — The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the members of the Conventional Oil and Gas Advisory Committee (COGAC). COGAC’s mission is to increase transparency and communication about regulating the conventional oil and gas drilling industry.
COGAC will advise DEP in the development of regulations relating to conventional oil and gas extraction. COGAC will be given the opportunity to review and comment on all regulations of a technical nature prior to submission to the Environmental Quality Board.
Elected members
COGAC consists of voting and non-voting members, all of whom are residents of Pennsylvania. All members were chosen by the Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.
The voting members consist of representatives of the Pennsylvania Independent Petroleum Producers (PIPP), Pennsylvania Grade Crude Coalition (PGCC), Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA), Pennsylvania Coal Alliance (PCA) and the Citizens Advisory Council. These members are:
- Mark L. Cline, Sr., Production Supervisory & On-Site Manager, Cline Oil, Inc. (PIPP)
- David Ochs, Senior Geologist/Geology and Operations Manager, Kriebel Resources Co., LLC (PIOGA)
- A. Bruce Grindle, President, Oil & Gas Management, Inc. (PGCC)
- Dave Yingling, Engineer, Rosebud Mining (PCA)
- Burt A. Waite, Senior Geologist, Moody and Associates (CAC)
The non-voting members are:
- Jim Morrison, Chief Administrator, Municipality of Murrysville
- Doug D’Amore, DCNR Sproul State District Forester
- R. Keith Hite, Vice President of Public Relations, Blackford Ventures; Former Executive Director, PA State Association of Township Supervisors
- Sherry Tune, Forest Supervisor, Allegheny National Forest Service
COGAC will meet on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at 10:00 AM in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101. This advisory committee meeting is open to the public and can be accessed by way of a DEP webinar. For more information, or to participate in the webinar, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the “DEP Webinars” button.
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
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.