State official argues for more funds to keep eye on drilling

BILL O ’ BOYLE

boboyle@timesleader.com

KINGSTON -- Tim Schaeffer, director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Bureau of Policy, Planning and Communications, on Tuesday said the commission’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee has recommended the state Legislature consider providing additional resources so the commission can continue its efforts to protect state waterways and wildlife from “potential degradation by drilling efforts.”

“The Marcellus shale industry should pay for the costs it is generating,” Schaeffer said during a visit to the Nesbitt Park boat launch.

Schaeffer provided information that specifically cited results of state inspections that showed environmental and water quality problems.

“These statistics suggest that, in all likelihood, Pennsylvania will continue to experience high rates of environmental, health and safety violations at Marcellus Shale drilling sites,” the committee reported. “Given this new threat, we recommend the General Assembly take action … to ensure the PFBC … has sufficient resources to carry out its mission.”

During recent testimony before the committee, John Arway, executive director of the Fish and Boat Commission, told lawmakers the commission relies almost entirely on fishing license sales, boat registration fees, and federal funding tied to fishing and boating to support its work.

“If the commission received a portion of a severance tax, we would be in a much better position to work with industry and other agencies to ensure that aquatic resources are protected during the planning, development, and production of the Marcellus Shale natural gas field,” Arway testified.

Schaeffer said the presence of the drilling industry has substantially increased the responsibilities of conservation agencies like the commission. Since 2001, it has tripled the number of oil and gas well permit reviews it conducts each year.

Within the last year, Schaeffer said commission staff have conducted about 175 field reviews of gas well sites and have observed water quality degradation from a number of facilities.

“It’s not fair to ask anglers and boaters to pay for costs they aren’t generating,” Schaeffer said.