House Environmental Committee Meets March 23, Possibly To Discuss Drilling Regs

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on March 23, however no agenda has yet been posted.

At the Committee meeting Wednesday, Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny), Majority Chair of the Committee, said the Committee will be reviewing the final DEP Chapter 78 and 78a oil and gas drilling regulations “at its next meeting.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, Rep. Maher asked members to provide him with comments and questions on the regulation prior to the meeting.

Under the Regulatory Review Act, the Committee can offer comments to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission or choose to report out a concurrent House-Senate resolution blocking their implementation.

The Senate and House must pass the resolution and present it to the Governor for his action.  The resolution can be signed or vetoed by the Governor.  If he signs it, the regulation is dead and DEP would have to start over.

Rep. Maher has been a critic of the process used by DEP to develop the regulations and voted against them at the February Environmental Quality Board meeting.

The IRRC is scheduled to meet on the drilling regulations April 21.

The meeting will be held in Room B-31 Main Capital starting at 9:30.

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com.  Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.