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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 7, 2012 02:09 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf and Sen. John T. Yudichak |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Funding for natural gas drilling health research |
| We are planning on introducing legislation that would amend Act 13 of 2012, the omnibus amendments to the Oil and Gas Act, to include funding for a health registry. As you recall, the revenue from the shale gas impact fee (over $204 million in 2012) is distributed to various state agencies, local governments, and other eligible entities. However, no money is allocated for studying the health effects of intensive natural gas drilling. Our legislation would allocate $2 million annually from the shale gas impact fee to the Department of Health. The funds would be used to create a health registry to assess and evaluate the potential adverse health consequences associated with drilling unconventional gas wells in the Commonwealth. Already this year Geisinger Health Systems, Guthrie Health, and Susquehanna Health have joined together to study the health effects of shale gas drilling. Funding from the shale impact fee can be used to enhance this effort and expand its scope. Last session this was SB 1519 and the following Senators were cosponsors: STACK, TARTAGLIONE, FARNESE, BLAKE, McILHINNEY, SCHWANK, HUGHES, FERLO AND COSTA |
Introduced as SB790