House Committee To Consider Bill To Compensate Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC Adopts Fracking Ban, Well Pad Permitting March 26

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to meet on March 26 to consider a bill requiring compensation to landowners for their drilling rights if the Delaware River Basin Commission adopts a ban on fracking and 2 other bills--
-- House Bill 827 (Fritz-R-Wayne) which requiring compensation for oil and gas rights owners in Delaware River Watershed if the Delaware River Basin Commission adopts a permanent ban on fracking (sponsor summary).  (Click Here for more background on compensating landowners and a companion bill in the Senate-- Senate Bill 305.)

-- House Bill 828 (Fritz-R-Wayne) authorizes DEP to issue one permit for multiple gas wells on a single pad instead of individual well permits, extends the term of well permits from 1 to 3 years and allows well locations to vary within 50 feet of specific locations identified on the well permit (sponsor summary).  These reforms were included in a DEP white paper Gov. Wolf released in January of 2018.

--House Bill 829 (Fritz-R- Wayne) prohibiting the Delaware River Basin Commission from regulating onlot septic systems (sponsor summary).

The Committee held a hearing on issues involving House Bill 827 and 929 on March 20.

The meeting will be held in Room B-31 of the Main Capitol Building starting at 10:00.  Click Here to watch the meeting online.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Related Story:

Presenters Urge House Committee To Support bill Compensating Landowners For Drilling Rights If DRBC Adopts A Fracking Ban