PA Environment Digest Blog: House Environmental Committee To Hold Nov. 17 Hearing On Bill To Increase Setbacks From Unconventional Shale Gas Wells From 500 Feet To 2,500 Feet From Homes, 5,000 Feet From Schools, Hospitals

The House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee is scheduled to hold a November 17 hearing on House Bill 1946 (Vitali-D-Delaware) which would increase the minimum setback from unconventional shale gas wells from 500 feet to 2,500 feet from homes and 5,000 feet from schools, hospitals and long-term care facilities.

The bill would also require a 2,500 foot setback from any drinking water source, (well, surface water intakes or reservoirs) rather than the current 1,000 feet and a 750 foot setback from any natural body of water, rather than 300 feet.

The agenda for the hearing includes these witnesses--

-- Cindy Fisher, Supervisor, Cecil Township, Washington County

-- Michele Stonemark, Resident, Cecil Township

-- Lois Bower-Bjornson, Frackland Tours, Clean Air Council

-- Dr. Edward Ketyer, President, Physicians For Social Responsibility - PA [PPT Slides]

-- Patrick Henderson, Vice President, Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition

-- Melissa Ostroff, Policy & Field Advocate, EarthWorks

Other written comments--

-- Environmental Health Project - Health Impacts From Shale Gas Development

-- Environmental Health Project - Research Review - Asthma Exacerbations

-- Environmental Health Project - Research Review - Adverse Birth Outcomes

-- Environmental Health Project - Research Review Childhood Lymphoma

-- Barbara W. Brandom, MD, Concerned Health Professionals Of PA

-- Stuart Day, Lawrence County Resident

-- PA Chamber of Business & Industry

-- American Petroleum Institute - Pennsylvania

Background

“Current setback distances allow for drilling way too close to homes, schools, hospitals, drinking water supplies and other things, putting public health and the environment at risk,” said Rep. Greg Vitali, who serves as Majority Chairman of the state House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee.

“Well pads emit methane, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter, which are injurious to human health. Well pads also periodically spill produced water containing chemicals that contaminate our waterways.”

The increased setback requirements in House Bill 1946 are consistent with recommendations from the 2020 43rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury Report on the shale gas industry. Read more here.

Legislation to increase setbacks -- House Bill 170 (Otten-D-Chester)-- was introduced last legislative session and was the subject of a House Environmental Committee hearing in June 2023. Read more here.

House Democratic Leadership blocked consideration of the bill and it never received a vote in Committee. Read more here.

The hearing will be held in Room G-50 of the Irvis Building starting at 10:00 a.m. Click Here to watch live.

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net. Rep. Jack Rader, Jr. (R-Monroe) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7732 or click here to send an email.

Related Senate Legislation

On November 5, 2025, Sen. Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) introduced Senate Bill 1083 also increasing setback distances from unconventional shale gas wells consistent with the 2020 state Grand Jury Report.

The bill was referred to the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for consideration.

Similar legislation was introduced last session in the Senate-- Senate Bill 581-- but it died in Committee at the end of the 2024 session in the Republican-run Senate. Read more here.

EQB Petition

Citizens and environments have tried other ways to increase setbacks from shale gas operations.

On October 22, 2024, the Clean Air Council and the Environmental Integrity Project filed a 358-page rulemaking petition with supporting documentation to the Environmental Quality Board for consideration. Read more here.

In November, 2024, DEP announced it had determined the petition meets the initial criteria to be considered by the Board for study, including that the Board has the statutory authority to adopt a regulation setting more protective setbacks from shale gas wells. Read more here.

So far the EQB has not taken a vote on accepting the petition for study. Read more here.

Ground Zero - Cecil Township

But so far, efforts to increase setbacks from shale gas facilities have been focused on actions by local governments using their land use planning authority under the Municipalities Planning Code to regulate shale gas operations.

Ground zero of this effort is Cecil Township in Washington County, which has the most shale gas drilling of any county in the state.

Click Here for a first-person experience of what it’s like to live with shale gas drilling in Cecil Township with the state minimum 500 foot setback.

In November 2024, Cecil Township Supervisors adopted the ordinance requiring a 2,500 foot setback from homes and businesses and a 5,000 foot setback from hospitals and schools from shale gas wells after extensive local hearings. Read more here.

The 25-page ordinance also gives property owners the ability to waive the setback, if all property owners within the 2,500 foot setback agree to a waiver. Read more here.

In January 2025, two shale gas companies-- Range Resources Appalachia LLC and MarkWest Liberty Midstream-- filed appeals of the shale gas setback ordinance with the Township Zoning Hearing Board (Range Resources) and in Washington County Court (MarkWest). Read more here.

In June 2025, the Cecil Township Zoning Hearing Board dismissed the Range Resources appeal saying they did not have standing and the case was not ripe.” Read more here.

In July 2025, Range Resources filed an appeal in Washington County Court of Common Pleas of the June decision by the Cecil Township Zoning Hearing Board to dismiss the challenge to a township ordinance. Read more here.

PA Senate Republicans Vote To Punish Communities

On May 7, 2025 Republicans on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to report out legislation-- Senate Bill 102 (Bartolotta-R-Washington, Yaw-R-Lycoming) to punish communities taking steps to protect their residents from the health and environmental impacts of shale gas drilling by doing things like increasing setbacks from well pads. Read more here.

The bill would prohibit municipalities from receiving Act 13 drilling impact fees if they set protective standards on the development of natural gas that “imposes a standard or condition on well development that conflicts with or exceeds those contained” in state law. Read more here.

The legislation was, in fact, prompted by an ordinance adopted by Cecil Township in Washington County.

Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington), the prime sponsor, represents Cecil Township in the state Senate.

The bill is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

(Photos: top- Range Resources Augustine Drill Pad in Cecil Township; Augustine Drill Pad showing scale of operation; bottom- Map of Shale gas wells (red dots), conventional oil and gas wells (blue/green dots) in Cecil Township (DEP Oil & Gas Program); 523 feet from nearest house; Well pad gas flare from bedroom window near Augustine well pad (WTAE). Other photos Courtesy of The Energy Age Blog.)

Resource Links - Setbacks:

-- 500 Feet Isn’t Enough: 42 Scientific Studies, 20+ Years Of Experience With Shale Gas Drilling In PA; A State Grand Jury Report; Criminal Convictions; Public Complaints; Lawsuits; Media Reports All Document The Need To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- 500 Feet Isn’t Enough: Michelle Stonemark Tells What It’s Really Like Living Next To A Shale Gas Well Pad - Nosebleeds, Headaches, Nausea, Air Pollution, Vibrating House, Sleepless Nights, Anxiety - In Cecil Twp., Washington County [PaEN]

-- 500 Feet Isn't Enough: Environmental Groups Urge Environmental Quality Board To Accept Rulemaking Petition For Study Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- House Committee Hearing On Increasing Safety Setback Zones Around Natural Gas Facilities Heard About First-Hand Citizen Experiences On Health Impacts; From Physicians On Health Studies; The Gas Industry On Job Impacts [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee To Hold Oct. 30 Hearing On Bill Increasing Setback Safety Zones From Shale Natural Gas Drilling Sites, Infrastructure Based On Latest Science, Grand Jury Report [Background on the Issue] [PaEN]

Resource Links - Cecil Township:

-- Cecil Township Supervisors In Washington County Adopt 2,500 Setback From Shale Gas Well Pads From Homes, Businesses, 5,000 Foot Setback From Hospitals, Schools [November 2024]

-- Range Resources And MarkWest Liberty Midstream File Legal Challenges To The 2,500 Foot Shale Gas Facility Setback Ordinance Adopted By Cecil Township, Washington County [January 2025]

-- Cecil Twp. Zoning Hearing Board Dismisses Range Resources Validity Challenge To 2,500 Foot Setback Ordinance For Shale Gas Wells In Washington County

-- Range Resources Files Appeal Of The Dismissal Of Its Zoning Hearing Board Challenge To Cecil Township’s Ordinance Requiring A 2,500 Foot Setback For Shale Gas Wells

-- Range Resources Proposes To Drill 2 New Shale Gas Wells In Cecil Township, Challenging Its 2,500 Foot Setback Ordinance In Washington County