Department of Environmental Protection this week announced plans to open a new Oil and Gas Management office in Scranton, Lackawanna County, to improve the agency’s ability to oversee and respond to issues stemming from increased natural gas drilling throughout the region.
“Right now, our oil and gas staff spends a great deal of time traveling to Marcellus Shale drilling sites all across the northern tier,” said DEP Secretary John Hanger. “By establishing a new office, as well as positioning new oil and gas staff in the region, we’ll spend less time on the road and more time on the ground performing inspections and monitoring activities at drilling sites.”
DEP said the exact location of the office has not yet been determined, but will be centrally located to provide the department with easier access to the hundreds of natural gas wells that are expected to be drilled in the region.
Comments by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) at a Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing last week put the spotlight on the need for additional staff resources in the Northeast to deal with Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling issues.
Following the hearing, Gov. Rendell ordered DEP to hire 68 permitting and inspection staff in response to expectations that the industry will apply for 5,200 new Marcellus Shale drilling permits in 2010—nearly three times the number of permits issued during 2009.
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