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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 6, 2021 04:27 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Christina D. Sappey |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Natural Gas Drilling Companies - DEP Employees |
| On June 25, 2020, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the findings and recommendations of the 43rd Statewide Grand Jury’s report on the unconventional oil and gas industry. One of the things the grand jury found was that it is somewhat common for natural gas companies to poach employees away from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). While its generally understood that Commonwealth employees sometimes choose to leave state service for more lucrative opportunities in the private sector, certain DEP employees are often provided with specialized training in hydraulic fracturing and other natural gas-related activities at the Commonwealth’s expense. As stated in the report, this creates a potential conflict of interest for government workers whose duty is to regulate the people who may well be their future employers. To address this issue, I will be introducing legislation that would prohibit a former public official or public employee of DEP from being employed by an owner or operator of a company that conducts natural gas operations in the Commonwealth for at least one year after the official or employee leaves DEP. Please join me in support of this effort to end the revolving door at DEP. |
Introduced as HB1902