CECIL, July 22 – State Rep. Jesse White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington, today issued the following statement in response to Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s scathing performance audit of the state Department of Environmental Protection’s monitoring and handling of potential impacts from the Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction industry.
The audit, which was launched by the auditor general in January 2013, assessed DEP’s ability to protect water quality in the wake of greatly escalated shale-gas well drilling, and offered recommendations on how the department can better conduct business.
“After years of evading, misinforming and, yes, even lying to the public about its handling of Marcellus Shale issues, Governor Tom Corbett’s DEP chickens have finally come home to roost.
“The findings within the auditor general’s performance audit were not necessarily shocking, as they echo the same concerns that my constituents and I have expressed for years over the way DEP conducts its business. However, this independent audit of DEP’s egregious mishandling of virtually all aspects of its duties when it comes to industry regulation and public transparency is unacceptable and unsettling nonetheless.
“Those of us who have dealt extensively with DEP have known that the agency is simply incompetent, whether by coincidence or collusion, which is why we fought so hard to have Act 13 declared unconstitutional to maintain local control in our communities. Despite the loud and aggressive assertions to the contrary, there is no grown-up in the room when it comes to regulating Marcellus Shale, and this fox-guarding-the-henhouse approach by Governor Corbett and his DEP has again been proven to be the wrong policy for Pennsylvania.
“I am reviewing the recommendations made by the auditor general and will be immediately drafting legislation to enact them into law. I plan to work collaboratively and will seek a bipartisan coalition of legislators representing heavily impacted areas to right the wrongs that far too many Pennsylvanians have suffered. The time for action is now, and we must leave politics at the water’s edge, especially when the water is polluted.
“The auditor general’s findings illustrate that without substantial reforms, the Pennsylvania DEP is simply not qualified to handle environmental concerns relating to Marcellus Shale development. Unfortunately, the stakes are too high for mere words – the thousands of Pennsylvania residents who have been lied to by the Corbett administration deserve immediate action.
“Anyone who truly wants to see shale gas development succeed in Pennsylvania should recognize the need for a strong and competent regulatory agency. I call on all parties, including operators in the natural-gas industry, to demonstrate their commitment to Pennsylvania by embracing and supporting the common-sense reforms highlighted by the auditor general to protect the people and resources of our commonwealth.”
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