Marcellus Shale: A balanced approach

Guest Column by State Rep Ryan Aument,

The emergence of the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania has sparked continuing debate among citizens and lawmakers with various perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of drilling in our Commonwealth.

The issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale region remain complex, and caution needs to be exercised when discussing the impact of the industry.

Over the past several months, I have heard from many people throughout my district about their interest in learning more about the natural gas industry. I have registered their perspectives on both economic potential and environmental concerns.

Like many citizens, I am still learning about this emerging industry and its advantages and disadvantages. To address these inquiries, I have decided to bring together several experts to serve as panel presenters at an upcoming Marcellus Shale Informational Forum.

I invite anyone who has both curiosity and concern about the industry to join us at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Centerville Middle School as we discuss various aspects of the subject. Representatives from Chesapeake Energy, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Rettew Associates and Hartman Underhill & Brubaker LLP are expected to attend.

It was back in 2009 that the General Assembly supported the idea of leasing state park lands to the drilling companies. This brought revenue to the state in a time of economic pressure, and the natural gas industry is responsible for enormous job growth throughout our Commonwealth. The industry has produced jobs in skilled areas such as engineering, surveying and environmental permitting, and in legal, accounting and other professional services.

In addition, this natural deposit, which has an estimated value of $500 billion, has the potential of meeting our needs for both electricity and perhaps even motor vehicle fuel for the next 40 years.

But along with all the attention paid to natural gas exploration and the economic feasibility of deep drilling, Pennsylvania also must ensure that appropriate regulations are in place to protect the environment and its citizens' water and air supplies. In particular, proper regulations need to be enacted to make sure wastewater from the hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," process does not contaminate groundwater.

An important issue yet to be resolved is whether Pennsylvania should assess taxes or impact fees on the value of the natural gas as it is extracted from the wells. Several legislators have come forth with tax-fee proposals that are being debated now.

I believe a tax or fee is appropriate. I also believe that any tax or fee needs to be structured to ensure that it is fair to businesses, residents of the Marcellus Shale region and the citizens of the Commonwealth.

The real political fight lies in determining where this money will go. Special interest groups throughout Pennsylvania are already lining up with their hands out for any additional revenue an impact fee may generate. The Legislature must carefully analyze any proposal to ensure that those dollars are put first toward improving our infrastructure and combating any environmental impact.

In order to protect our water supplies, further regulations need to be implemented by the Department of Environmental Protection. DEP has already hired 105 new oil and gas regulatory employees and currently mandates a 150-foot buffer for the 20,000 miles of Pennsylvania's highest-quality waterways.

A final report recently released by Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission recommends stronger regulations, such as tripling the well setback distances from streams and other bodies of water (from 100 to 300 feet), as well as increasing the setback from private water wells (from 200 to 500 feet) and public water systems (1,000 feet).

With two serious accidents involving Marcellus Shale drilling sites having already occurred — including a well blowout in Clearfield County that spewed 35,000 gallons of wastewater and another accident in Marshall County, W. Va. — it is imperative that stricter regulations for drilling and tougher penalties for violators are included in any legislation that is considered this fall.

Our task in the Legislature is to reach an appropriate balance between promoting the growth of this new industry with its potential to employ thousands of our fellow Pennsylvanians while protecting our environment from reckless acts.

State Rep. Ryan Aument is a first-term legislator representing East Petersburg and Mountville boroughs, East and West Hempfield townships, the western portion of Lancaster Township and part of Manor Township.