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
20activities"; and

1WHEREAS, Equipment is available to expedite sampling and
2analysis processes with means for accurate onsite sample
3collection and material testing for radiation that satisfies
4Federal and State regulations; and

5WHEREAS, Using this technology for sampling and testing
6purposes may reduce the Department of Environmental Protection's
7transportation, collection, processing, preservation, analysis
8and identification responsibilities, as well as more efficiently
9utilize department staff resources; and

10WHEREAS, This technology is also commercially available to
11the oil and natural gas industry and its use allows for more
12efficient internal safety compliance, ensuring safe working
13conditions for those laborers in the hydraulic fracturing and
14hauling process; and

15WHEREAS, This equipment has been implemented in the fields of
16homeland security, nuclear power and landfill monitoring;
17therefore be it

18RESOLVED, That the Senate declare it to be in the interest of
19the citizens of this Commonwealth for the Department of
20Environmental Protection to make full use of available
21technology to preserve clean drinking water, guarantee public
22safety and minimize environmental impacts associated with
23Pennsylvania's production of oil and natural gas.