Speaking power to power

Senator Lisa Baker wants secret drilling fluids revealed; agency oversight

By TOM KANE

HARRISBURG, PA - In a letter sent on June 20, state senator Lisa Baker urged Kathleen McGinty, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), to seriously review the recent expansion of gas drilling activities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“I am writing to express my concerns regarding the Commonwealth’s capacity to properly manage this increased activity and prevent permanent damage to our environment and quality of life,” Baker said. She represents the 20th senatorial district that includes Pike, Wayne, Wyoming, Monroe, Susquehanna and parts of Luzerne counties where drilling has begun and, in some instances, has been intensive.

Within the last year, hundreds of thousands of acres have been leased by gas and oil companies and many more are likely to follow, she said.

“Given the sheer volume of land open to new drilling operations, I believe we need to make certain that enough personnel are available in our region to review increased permit requests and monitor drilling activities to ensure compliance with our laws and regulations,” Baker said.

At a community meeting held in Hones-

dale on May 21, which was sponsored by the National Park Service, the Upper Delaware Council and Catskill Mountain-keeper, Ron Gilius, DEP’s Bureau of Oil and Gas Management director, admitted that his department had only two inspectors to monitor the new gas drillings in the eastern region of the state. He said the department was in the process of hiring more inspectors.

Baker hit a sensitive nerve, but more personnel was not all the senator wanted.

“Additionally, it is my understanding that drillers are exempt from the Federal Clean Water Act, as it applies to the process of hydro-fracturing,” she said. “I find this particularly troubling. I would like to know which materials, in addition to sand and water, are being employed or can potentially be used in the ‘fracking’ process, whether regulations are in place for allowable materials and if this information is open to review by the department and the public.”

Many critics, some of them scientists, have claimed that the drilling fluids contain chemicals that enhance the drilling process but that also are toxic and, therefore, dangerous for the public health and safety.

Baker said that the exploration of natural gas could be an important asset for the state and its residents and should be pursued. “However, it is not without tremendous risk if the Commonwealth is not ready to properly monitor this activity and take prompt and appropriate action to protect our natural resources and communities,” she said.