HB 2304: Post-mortem

I received quite a few e-mails and calls in response to my HB 2304 post. I tried to respond to every one, albeit briefly, as I need to sleep every now and then. One quick note to the "eco-nut from Brooklyn": your e-mail address gave me a "fatal error" when I tried to reply. I would be interested in collaborating, but I'll need an e-mail address that works if you want to communicate further. And sorry...but I'm not into the facebook thing. This blog keeps me busy enough.

My State Representative - who co-sponsored the bill - did not respond to my e-mail, in which I included my cell phone number. His office will be getting a call today, both locally and in Harrisburg. I also got some air-time on a local ( Luzerne County, PA) talk-radio show ( thanks, Sue ) to raise awareness about the legislation. Additionally, I received a copy of a response from a northeastern PA legislator that I felt was a little condescending, but as I didn't receive permission to post it, I'll leave it at that. If Phyllis does her usual Memorial Day rounds, I'll chat with her then.

I will add a snippet from one of the e-mails that found its way to my Inbox. Sorry, don't have time to fix all the spacing issues:


We should be furious about this bill! We have a largely ineffective

legislature, that has failed to pass even one bill that will benefit

the health, safety, welfare of those who are living amongst the

Marcellus Shale gas fields. Because of their lack of effectiveness,

DEP's EQ Board -- which for those who may not be aware -- the EQ Board

is representative of a variety of 'experts' who investigate, develop,

propose and implement new DEP Reg's. THESE VERY REG'S THAT WE HAVE

BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. Presently, this

is the ONLY ARM OF PROTECTION we who live amongst the Marcellus Shale

gas fields have a hope of having anything improved.

The Oil and Gas Act of 1984 largely pertains to shallow wells --

nothing like the Marcellus, and because of that there are issues that

are specific to Marcellus that the EQ Board is in the process of

reviewing -- one public comment period has already ended. The

legislature is doing nothing. I REPEAT THE LEGISLATURE IS DOING

NOTHING. Many of the recent EQ Board comment periods have received a

large amount of public input. DEP appreciates the public input

regarding these regulations. Therefore, the PUBLIC HAS BEEN

INVOLVED. [does that scare PICKETT and MAJOR?]
 
Enough on HB 2304...for now.

By the way, if you didn't catch the news, Chesapeake Energy was fined $20K for withdrawing too much water in 2009 from several northeastern PA sources. Forty-seven times over a nine month period!!   GREAT operational controls, Chesapeake.

All issues aside, why didn't the SRBC catch these violations? How many more millions of gallons of clean water are being siphoned away within the Susquehanna's watershed without their knowledge?

Truthfully, as I see it, the SRBC needs to hire some field reps to monitor all that is going on. Here's my offer: Match my current salary, and I'm in. I'll start tomorrow. Trust me, I'll more than pay the freight with fines levied.

Approved (?) withdrawal site @ Bowmans Creek? I saw no signs posted. And what is in those bags that are split open on the ground in the second pic? 10/19/2009

Oh, there will be some additional terms, but like everything in life & business...it's all negotiable.

I'll await your e-mail.