PA Environmental Council Supports Bill To Ban Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater

On June 10, the PA Environmental Council sent a letter to the members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee supporting House Bill 2384 (Vitali-D-Delaware) that bans road dumping of oil and gas wastewater.

The text of the letter follows--

Dear Representatives,

I am writing to convey the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s support for House Bill 2384 (P.N. 3244), which would prohibit road spreading and land application of production brine and wastewater by the conventional oil and gas industry. 

This legislation will be considered by the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee on Tuesday, June 11th.

Research from the state, academia, and industry itself has shown that this activity poses adverse health and environmental impacts, with no discernable public benefit. These findings were reinforced in detail at today’s hearing on the issue.

It’s time to end this irresponsible practice. The conventional industry should be held responsible for the safe management and proper treatment and disposal of their waste. 

The citizens of the Commonwealth should not bear the impacts of this industry’s inadequate practices. House Bill 2384 is one of many steps needed to rectify this unjust shifting of burden.

We urge you to support House Bill 2384. Thank you for your consideration.

John Walliser

Senior VP, Legal & Government Affairs

Pennsylvania Environmental Council

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NewsClips:

-- PA Environmental Council Supports Bill To Ban Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater For Dust Suppression Called Into Question

House Action/Hearing On Road Dumping:

-- House Committee Reports Out Bills To Ban Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; Prohibit Use Of PFAS 'Forever Chemicals’ In Consumer Products  [PaEN]

-- House Hearing: Shapiro Administration Supports Bill Banning Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater, Prohibiting Its Use As Coproduct Under Residual Waste Regulations  [PaEN] 

-- House Hearing: Penn State Expert Says ‘Pennsylvania Should Ban Road Spreading Of Oil & Gas Wastewater;’  Contaminants Exceed Health, Environmental Standards  [PaEN] 

-- House Hearing: Penn State Center For Dirt & Gravel Road Studies Says Road Spreading Oil & Gas Wastewater Is Not An Effective Dust Suppressant, Does Not Meet Environmental Testing Standards  [PaEN] 

-- House Hearing: A First-Hand Account Of How Repeated, Unlimited Road Dumping Of Oil & Gas Drilling Wastewater Is Tearing Apart Dirt Roads And Creating Multiple Environmental Hazards  [PaEN]

-- House Hearing: Protect PT - Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater ‘Is Disproportionately Responsible For Negative Impacts On Human Health,’ Especially From Radioactive Radium  [PaEN]  

-- House Hearing: On Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater - ‘We Studied This For Nearly 30 Years And The Conclusions Are The Same - The Wastewater Contains Harmful Contaminants’  [PaEN]  

-- House Hearing: PA State Assn. Of Township Supervisors Opposes Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Saying It’s Only Affordable Option For Dust Suppression [Plain Water Works Just As Well]  [PaEN] 

-- House Hearing: Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Trade Groups Oppose Bill Banning The Road Dumping Their Wastewater Saying It’s ‘Effective And Safe’  [PaEN]  

Road Dumping Intimidation:

-- Week 10: Illegal Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues Unabated On Paved, Dirt Roads, Before It Rains, It Doesn’t Matter In Warren County  [PaEN - 5.30.24]   

-- Illegal Wastewater Dumping Continues, Even On Mothers Day, Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners’ Campaign Of Intimidation Of Senate Witness; Now Dumping Before It Rains, On Paved Roads [PaEN - 5.14.24] 

-- Two Months: Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues To Surround The Home Of A Senate Witness Who Opposes The Illegal Practice  [PaEN - 5.7.24]

-- Road Dumping Continues At Will As Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Get Rid Of Their Wastewater  [PaEN - 4.5.24]

-- Spring Road Dumping Season Underway As Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Get Rid Of Their Wastewater   [PaEN - 3.19.24] 

Resource Links - Senate Hearing On Road Dumping:

-- Senate Hearing: The Case For An Immediate, Total Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: Penn State Expert: ‘No More Research That Needs To Be Done’ To Justify A Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN] 

-- Senate Hearing: First-Hand Account Of Health, Environmental Impacts From Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater - ‘Inhaling Oil & Gas Wastewater 24-Hours A Day’  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: 3.5 Million Gallons Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Dumped On PA Public Roads Since DEP’s ‘Moratorium’ On Dumping Started 6 Years Ago  [PaEN] 

-- Senate Hearing: DEP Still Evaluating The Data On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; Asks Public To Report Road Dumping  [PaEN]

-- Do You Live In An Oil & Gas Wastewater Disposal Facility? Public Roads In 84 Municipalities In PA, One County In NY Are Being Used As Disposal Areas For Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- DEP: 86% Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Did Not Comply With Waste Disposal, Production Reporting For 33,505 Wells In 2023  [PaEN - 3.29.24]

[Posted: June 10, 2024]  PA Environment Digest