Posted: | January 11, 2013 11:01 AM |
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From: | Representative Phyllis Mundy |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Reintroduction of Legislation: Prohibiting hydraulic fracturing or horizontal drilling within 2,500 feet of a primary source of a community water system (Formerly HB 230 of the 2011-2012 Legislative Session) |
I will soon reintroduce legislation to prohibit hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling from taking place within 2,500 feet of a primary source of supply for a community water system, such as a lake or reservoir. My legislation would prohibit the Department of Environmental Protection from waiving these restrictions. In addition, I have included a new provision in the bill since last session to prohibit DEP from waiving current distance restrictions for bodies of water such as springs, wetlands, and streams which are blue-lined on a U.S. Geological Survey map. This legislation seeks to protect our water from contamination during the exploration and drilling of the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. In light of the many accidents that have occurred from Marcellus Shale drilling, it is clear that we must immediately enact stronger legislative safeguards to prevent the hydraulic fracturing process from inflicting more damage upon our environment and public health. As two reservoirs in my district provide drinking water to thousands of my constituents, contamination of one or both would equate to a serious public health crisis. While this bill only addresses one of my many concerns regarding Marcellus Shale drilling, it would take us one step closer to keeping pace with the fast-moving industry and towards the adequate protection of the environment and public health. PRIOR CO-SPONSORS: Caltagirone, Carroll, D. Costa, Curry, DePasquale, Freeman, George, Hornaman, Josephs, Kortz, Matzie, Mullery, Murphy, M. O’Brien, Santarsiero, K. Smith, Staback, Sturla, Wagner, Youngblood, Bradford, Briggs, Murt, and Frankel |
Introduced as HB800