PRINTER'S NO.  3783

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

No.

813

Session of

2010

  

  

INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE, DeLUCA, GOODMAN, HALUSKA, HARHAI, JOSEPHS, MAHONEY, MUNDY, MURPHY, SIPTROTH, THOMAS AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 25, 2010

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 25, 2010  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Directing the Department of Environmental Protection to cease

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and desist issuing, on an expedited basis, Erosion and

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Sediment Controls General Permits for natural gas drilling

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activities before conducting a technical review of the permit

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application.

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WHEREAS, The Constitution of the Commonwealth of

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Pennsylvania, Article I, section 27, states that: "The people

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have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation

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of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the

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environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the

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common property of all the people, including generations yet to

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come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall

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conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people";

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and

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WHEREAS, The Department of Environmental Protection, since

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March 2009, has been issuing Erosion and Sediment Controls

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General Permits for earth disturbance activities related to

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natural gas drilling operations on an expedited basis without

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conducting technical review of the permit applications; and

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WHEREAS, Already three of the permits issued on an expedited

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basis without technical review were based on applications that

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failed to disclose information with respect to their impacts on

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Exceptional Value or High Quality watersheds, including trout

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streams, flaws which were detected not by the Department of

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Environmental Protection but by a nonprofit organization and

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which permits were revoked as a result; and

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WHEREAS, Permits were issued on an expedited basis without a

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technical review for earth disturbance activities related to

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natural gas drilling in floodplains, thereby risking the

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possibility of a severe case of water pollution in the event of

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a flood; and

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WHEREAS, The practice of issuing expedited permits without

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conducting a minimal review of basic technical facts and

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conditions necessary to protect the environment is unsustainable

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and unwise; therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the

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Department of Environmental Protection to cease and desist

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issuing, on an expedited basis, Erosion and Sediment Controls

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General Permits for natural gas drilling activities before

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conducting a technical review of the permit application.

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