I believe in responsible utilization of our energy resources, including natural gas. That means providing a mix of investment in long-term renewable solutions and short and mid-term methods of utilizing our non-renewable resources in a cleaner and more efficient manner. Greater utilization of natural gas can help the economy of Pennsylvania and the Nation. In Pennsylvania alone, there is several hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which could supply this country’s entire natural gas demand for decades.

That being said, it is our obligation to ensure that the citizens of our Nation, including those in Pennsylvania, where 60% of the Marcellus Shale gas reserve is located, will not have to sacrifice their clean water, clean air, natural lands, and local road and infrastructure in pursuit of natural gas. As such, I support clear regulatory parameters and accountability for violators and the collection of reasonable fees to cover those protections and for sustainable investment in Pennsylvania. I also support strong reporting requirements and the making publicly available the information contained in those reports. 

That is why I wrote to Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) asking for information the state has available on fracking operations and to make that information readily available to the public. It is also why I am a co-sponsor of the FRAC Act. The FRAC Act would place drilling operations using fracture drilling under the regulation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. This would restore protection that a federal circuit court found existed prior to the 2005 Energy Act. The FRAC Act is a reasonable step toward providing local citizens added protection and peace of mind. The bill would also require the full disclosure of the composition the fracking fluid being injected into the ground to recover the natural gas. 

We have a real opportunity in Pennsylvania to see a net benefit from accessing the natural gas deposit in the Marcellus Shale. But I am not yet convinced that we have learned the lessons from our past and from other parts of the country that have utilized fracking. There should be a balance between allowing these operations to go forward, putting the proper environmental, health, and property safeguards in place, and ensuring that those persons or communities that may be harmed receive just compensation. One just has to look at the legacy of the old mining operations to see the shortfalls of looking at the short-term economic gain without factoring in the real expense, both in the near-term and the long-term. DEP estimates 2,500 miles of damaged streams and 250,000 acres of unrestored surface coal mine land will cost appoximately $15 billion Pennsylvania to restore. Prudent action now can greatly reduce the current and future costs of natural gas operations so we do not pass a similar cleanup bill to the next generation.

In addition to my correspondence with the PA DEP regarding sharing of information and my co-sponsorship the FRAC Act, which I discussed above, I also taken a number of other actions in the past year including:

• commenting on the then proposed new water disposal regulations that were approved earlier this year by the PA DEP and made a public comment at the Delaware River Commission’s Special Hearing on hydraulically fracking resources within the Delaware River Basin, which called for protections that requested that the Commonwealth set the global standard for responsible stewardship of natural resources. 
• supporting authorizing a study by the Environmental Protection Agency in the recently passed Interior Appropriations bill to look at the potential negative impact of hydrologic fracture drilling on ground water supplies. As part of the public comment period, I submitted comments aimed at ensure that the scope of the study reflect the most current concerns. 
• supporting funding for an additional study by the Delaware River Basin Commission. $1 million was approved by the appropriation subcommittee for that study and awaits votes by the House and Senate before going to the President to become law. 

In addition, I support several legislative initiatives at the state level, including strong protective measures in legislation sponsored by State Representative Bud George.

That being said, I still believe that solutions can be found to provide strong protections and compensate for the harm while still being able to economically utilize the natural gas. That is why, in part, I have also co-sponsored H.R. 1835. The New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2009 amends the Internal Revenue Code to: 

• allow an excise tax credit through 2027 for alternative fuels and fuel mixtures involving compressed or liquefied natural gas; 
• allow an income tax credit through 2027 for alternative fuel motor vehicles powered by compressed or liquefied natural gas; 
• modify the tax credit percentage for alternative fuel vehicles fueled by natural gas or liquefied natural gas; 
• allow a new tax credit for the production of vehicles fueled by natural gas or liquefied natural gas; and 
• extend through 2027 the tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property expenditures for refueling property relating to compressed or liquefied natural gas and allow an increased credit for such property. 

Related Actions:

• Written comment for the Delaware River Basin Commission's Special Public Hearing on Stone Energy Corporation
  
• Letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in response to ruptured mine incident
  
• Written comment on the EPA's research study on hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources