Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends regulations on shallow oil and gas drilling, commonly known as conventional drilling, in the state of Pennsylvania.

Highlights:

• Repeals the requirement for shallow oil and gas drillers to maintain the minimum standards established under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Sec. 904).  

• Specifies that spills of less than 5 barrels of oil or less than 15 barrels of brine do not have to be reported (Sec. 1102).  

• Repeals requirement for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to review a well’s impact on public resources like parks and historical sites before issuing a drilling permit (Sec. 702).

• Authorizes the spread of production brines on unpaved roads for dust control (Sec. 104).

• Establishes new exemptions from the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (Sec. 903).

• Exempts wastewater treatment plants from previous water protection requirements including a 2010 rule that restricted the permissible amount of salty discharge in rivers (Secs. 306 & 904).

• Requires permits for drilling to expire 3 years after issuance unless drilling operations commence within that 3-year period (Sec. 301).

• Prohibits local government from imposing ordinances on the same features of oil and gas operations that’re regulated by this bill (Sec. 902).

Full Bill Text