Pa. House approves conventional oil and gas industry oversight bill

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved legislation on Tuesday that would reduce the regulatory burden on the conventional oil and gas industry while maintaining appropriate oversight to protect the environment.

House Bill 2154, introduced by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), would provide balance to allow the 160-year-old industry to grow by enacting an updated Oil and Gas Act similar to the one that regulated the industry prior to Act 13 of 2012. It not only includes several regulatory updates, but would dictate future regulatory changes impacting the oil and gas industry.

“The conventional oil and gas industry has long been a cornerstone of the economy in my district and areas across the northern tier, providing thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs,” Causer said. “This bill will help preserve those jobs by removing the threat of unreasonable and unnecessary regulations from the backs of our conventional producers in favor of rules that are relevant and appropriate to these shallow well operations.”

Current unconventional drilling regulations, however, would remain in effect under the legislation. The bill is the most recent effort to stop the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from applying blanket regulations meant for unconventional, deep-well drilling in the Marcellus Shale to conventional, shallow-well drilling.

“The lack of understanding by many bureaucrats about the vast differences between the types of drilling has really put our conventional operators at risk,” Causer said. “It is extremely frustrating, especially given the good stewardship long practiced by conventional producers. They live in the communities where their wells are located, breathing the same air and drinking the same water as everyone else. They clearly have a vested interest in doing things right.”

House Bill 2154 also intends to boost the plugging of orphan wells and authorize DEP to issue permits that allow municipalities to use brine for dust control, road stabilization, anti-icing, and de-icing.

The Penn Grade Crude Development Advisory Council, of which Causer is a member, helped develop the legislation. The council was created by Act 52 of 2016 to advise and assist DEP with regulatory changes impacting the conventional oil and gas industry.

The legislation now heads to the Senate for further consideration.