1Declaring it to be in the interest of the citizens of this
2Commonwealth for the Department of Environmental Protection
3to make full use of available technology to preserve clean
4drinking water, guarantee public safety and minimize
5environmental impacts associated with Pennsylvania's
6production of oil and natural gas.

7WHEREAS, Oil and gas exploration and production activities
8involve conventional and unconventional drilling through various
9subsurface layers of shale and rock to produce oil and natural
10gas; and

11WHEREAS, The drilling industry production and flowback water,
12as well as other drilling-related infrastructure and sources,
13are potentially impacted with naturally occurring radioactive
14material (NORM) and technologically enhanced naturally occurring
15radioactive material (TENORM); and

16WHEREAS, The Department of Environmental Protection describes
17TENORM as material that "consists of naturally occurring
18radioactive material whose radionuclide concentrations have been
19increased above levels encountered in the natural state by human

1activities"; and

2WHEREAS, Equipment is available to expedite sampling and
3analysis processes with means for accurate onsite sample
4collection and material testing for radiation that satisfies
5Federal and State regulations; and

6WHEREAS, Using this technology for sampling and testing
7purposes may reduce the Department of Environmental Protection's
8transportation, collection, processing, preservation, analysis
9and identification responsibilities, as well as more efficiently
10utilize department staff resources; and

11WHEREAS, This technology is also commercially available to
12the oil and natural gas industry and its use allows for more
13efficient internal safety compliance, ensuring safe working
14conditions for those laborers in the hydraulic fracturing and
15hauling process; and

16WHEREAS, This equipment has been implemented in the fields of
17homeland security, nuclear power and landfill monitoring;
18therefore be it

19RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare it to be
20in the interest of the citizens of this Commonwealth for the
21Department of Environmental Protection to make full use of
22available technology to preserve clean drinking water, guarantee
23public safety and minimize environmental impacts associated with
24Pennsylvania's production of oil and natural gas.