A recent editorial in the Herald-Standard – which draws on the paper’s news reporting – fundamentally failed to provide your readers with important facts, data and science about tightly-regulated shale development.

Neither the paper’s news report or the editorial make mention of the clear fact that PennEnvironment is an out-of-the-mainstream advocacy group that harshly opposes the responsible development of our region’s abundant energy resources. Furthermore, your readers should know that Pennsylvania has a world-class regulatory framework and enforcement programs that are enabling the safe development of clean-burning natural gas.

In fact, the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations (STRONGER) – a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization whose purpose is to assist states in assessing energy and environmental regulations – has found that Pennsylvania’s regulatory program is “proficient and ready to address” shale-related activities.

Specifically, in its independent peer-reviewed analysis, STRONGER notes that DEP has:

  • Increased staff levels to address additional permitting, inspection and enforcement activities related to increased unconventional gas well development;
  • Expanded the program’s public participation activities associated with the abandoned well sites program.
  • Initiated a comprehensive evaluation of radiation levels specifically associated with unconventional gas development, the first of its kind in the nation (that multi-year study, released Jan. 15, found there’s little potential for harm to workers or the public from radiation exposure due to oil and gas development).
  • Mandated that operators performing earth disturbance activities associated with oil and gas activities develop and implement erosion and sedimentation control best management practices to minimize the potential for erosion and sedimentation.
  • Advanced its hydraulic fracturing program and required that well operators conducting well casing and cementing to maintain control and prevent migration of gas or other fluids into sources of fresh groundwater.

Yet PennEnvironment disregards these facts and once again purposefully manipulated data in an attempt to advance a false narrative. In fact, this special interest group’s so-called ‘report’, by its own acknowledgement, took broad liberties in reclassifying many administrative and paperwork-related notices that presented or resulted in no harm to human or environmental health or safety.

Despite efforts to criticize the tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who make up our region’s growing natural gas industry – which is laser focused on protecting and enhancing our environment – voters across the Commonwealth and the nation continue demonstrate overwhelmingly strong, bipartisan support for responsible natural gas development.

America’s shale revolution, being led responsibly by Pennsylvania, is creating good-paying jobs — especially for our region’s labor unions as well as our manufacturing sector — all while dramatically enhancing our environment and boosting air quality.

News articles and editorials should be written and supported by the facts.

Erica Clayton Wright
Managing Director of Communications and Membership
Marcellus Shale Coalition

NOTE: Click HERE to view this letter online.