Marcellus Shale
A gas rush
We are now experiencing a natural gas rush in Pennsylvania. The Marcellus Shale, a 350 million year old rock formation, extends from southern New York across Pennsylvania, and into parts of Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio. Scientists estimate that about 50 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas could be extracted from the Marcellus Shale. This is enough gas to supply the energy needs of the entire Nation for roughly 15 years.
Pennsylvania’s legacy
Pennsylvania has a long history of developing its abundant fossil energy resources, from the drilling of the first commercial oil well near Titusville, to the mining of Pennsylvania’s rich seams of anthracite and bituminous coal. Pennsylvanians are proud of the contributions we have made to the growth and prosperity of our Nation.
However, we also understand that previous development of our resources has left scars on the land and communities to deal with the aftermath of poorly regulated and managed energy booms. For example, old uncapped natural gas wells leaked methane into homes in Versailles, Pennsylvania. And throughout the state, we spend millions of dollars every year to remediate acid mine drainage and to reclaim previously mined land.
Learning from the past
Learning from the lessons of the past, we must make sure that the development of the Marcellus Shale gas resources is done with the highest regard for the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians and for the protection of our environment.
If done correctly, the development of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale natural gas resources can provide a great economic boost, create jobs and supply us with clean, homegrown energy. But we must get this right.
The process to recover this natural gas, drilling and hydraulic fracturing, must be done in a way that protects the health and safety of Pennsylvanians, the environment and the workers on the drilling rigs. We must make sure that it doesn’t disproportionately burden local governments, that it doesn’t damage our roads and infrastructure and that it creates jobs for the people of Pennsylvania – not for Oklahomans and Texans.
We can get this right
I am continuing to work with all stakeholders – citizens, environmental groups, industry, and local and state officials – to ensure that we do get it right. My priorities for the development of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale natural gas resources are to:
- ensure the protection of the environment and public health, particularly with regard to groundwater and drinking water supplies;
- ensure that adequate emergency response procedures are in place to protect the safety of rig workers, emergency responders, and local communities;
- maximize natural-gas related jobs and economic benefits for Pennsylvanians and Pennsylvania companies;
- protect and empower Pennsylvania landowners, who lease private property for drilling, by ensuring they are fully aware of their rights and opportunities;
- provide vigilant oversight of drilling activities and natural gas pipeline siting and safety; and
- ensure that affected land receives full and proper remediation once the drilling is completed.
Protection of water and health
The protection of underground water sources is especially important to Pennsylvania because we have the second highest number of private wells for drinking water in the United States. My bill, the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act will require that the natural gas industry provide complete disclosure of the chemical composition of hydraulic fracturing materials. Disclosure will ensure that if drinking water supplies, surface waters, or human health are compromised, the public and first responders will know how to respond properly. I view disclosure as a simple matter of citizens having a right to know about all risks in their community. Further, my bill will require that hydraulic fracturing be regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, ensuring that a consistent set of federally enforceable regulatory requirements are applied to the development of our natural gas resources.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of conducting a thorough study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water. I support this study, which was authorized by Congress through the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Given the numerous reported cases of groundwater contamination potentially related to hydraulic fracturing, a robust analysis of the impact is warranted.
Jobs
To help prepare Pennsylvania workers for jobs in the natural gas industry, I introduced the Marcellus Shale On-the-Job Training Act of 2010. By authorizing grants to strengthen On-the-Job Training programs, my legislation will ensure Pennsylvanians are properly trained for the jobs available at well-sites. As the number of Marcellus Shale well-sites continue to increase, we need to make sure the jobs are going to Pennsylvanians.
Emergency response
I believe emergency response at oil and gas wells must be improved. For this reason, I chaired a Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in Pittsburgh entitled “Emergency Response in the Marcellus Shale Region.” At the hearing, I heard from panelists testifying on current emergency response procedures and whether there is a need to increase regulation over emergency response procedures. In addition to the hearing, I distributed draft legislation entitled the Faster Action Safety Team Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2010, which will provide the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) the ability to draft regulations that will enhance emergency response procedures at oil and gas wells.
Local issues
The Federal government does not have jurisdiction over many of the issues affecting the development of the Marcellus shale, for example local road conditions, gas pooling, a severance tax and a drilling moratorium. Therefore, as a U.S. Senator, I am unable to take any direct action on these matters. However, if you have concerns about any of these issues, I urge you to share your views with your State Representative, State Senator, and the Governor.
Landowners
I understand that many Pennsylvania landowners have been approached by companies who would like to lease their land in order to drill into the Marcellus. While the Federal government has no role to play in negotiations of this kind, I want to make sure that Pennsylvanians are aware of resources that can help them make the most informed decision possible before entering into a contract. For example, Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Service has a number of publications that contain helpful information on this issue, including "Natural Gas Exploration: A Landowner's Guide to Leasing Land in Pennsylvania." The Pennsylvania State Department of Environmental Protection has also published information, including a fact sheet on “Landowners and Oil and Gas Leases in Pennsylvania: Answers to Questions Frequently Asked by Landowners about Oil and Gas Leases and Drilling.”