Approval of drilling enforcement actions by Corbett's political appointees under fire.

[Divernan]

Top-level approval of drilling under fire
DEP now says new policy is temporary
Friday, April 01, 2011
By Don Hopey and Laura Olson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

As state legislators called for investigations and urged the Corbett administration to rescind new procedures that require top political appointees to approve all Marcellus Shale drilling enforcement actions, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a "clarification" that the change will be temporary.

Katy Gresh, a DEP spokeswoman, said the department's regional directors received a directive from Secretary Michael Krancer Thursday telling them the new procedures, put in place on March 23 will last for only three months.

"The procedural change was intended to be a temporary change, a pilot project," she said. "It became clear to us that further clarification of the reasons behind the procedure was necessary and what it will achieve."

The new procedural rules, which require preapproval by Mr. Krancer and other top DEP officials of even routine notices of violation and other actions, set off a storm of complaints that politics would be influencing enforcement of an industry that had contributed almost $1 million to Gov. Tom Corbett's election campaign.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11091/1136172-113.stm#ixzz1IGaPa5n0

My query: How many sharks can one demented Governor jump in four years?
I'm by avocation a warm water scuba diver who has had the thrill of seeing various species of sharks - they are magnificent, awesome, powerful animals who kill by instinct and show no mercy. But they only kill what they need to, to survive. They have a terrible beauty. There's is nothing - not a single thing - beautiful, magnificent or awesome about Corbett's destruction of Pennsylvania's environment and educational system. He is just plain terrible and for the next four years he's got all the power.

[Divernan]

1. DEP has NO records of inconsistencies, but political hack Sec'y. has heard from "others".

From OP link:
"Ms. Gresh (DEP spokesperson) said the procedural change was made now because of a need to ensure consistency in enforcement from region to region and "that is our responsibility." She said the DEP has no records or log of enforcement actions showing inconsistency, but Mr. Krancer has heard reports from legislators and others.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11091/1136172-503.stm#ixzz1IGbEvhc5

[Divernan]

2. 44% increase in well inspections needed this year alone; but NO increase in # of inspectors!

Ms. Gresh said "The oil and gas inspectors have more than doubled in the last 18 months," she said. "And we need to make sure the new staff members are brought into the fold and that there's consistency and that we're providing proper direction from the central office."

Sounds like there will be a real "climate of fear" (an expression from the McCarthy witch hunt era) among the professionals at DEP. The hunt is on, I'm sure, to find the whistle blower(s) who leaked the emails To Pro Publica.


Time to hoist the DEP Secretary Krancer on his own petard with some more in depth investigative reporting.

I'd like to know when, within the past 18 months, the number of inspectors "more than doubled". Bet anything they were nearly all hired under Rendell's administration. I further bet that those "new staff members" have been on the job close to 18 months, which does not meet any description of "new hires". But Corbett's hack Sec'y of DEP Krancer earlier testified to the PA legislature that no more than the "current 78 inspectors" are needed to inspect the drilling sites, which are projected to increase from 5,000 to 7,200 this year.

I repeat: 78 inspectors were needed last year to inspect 5,000 wells.
This info comes from an earlier PG article.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11076/1132613-454.stm#ix...



During a hearing in front of the House Appropriations Committee, members questioned the secretaries of the Dept. of Environmental Protection(DEP) and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)about budgets for nearly four hours.

1. One Dem. raised concerns about "a quiet push" from Corbett's administration to lease more state land to Marcellus shale gas drillers. Response from acting DCNR Secretary: No additional leases are planned. BUT, "Conservation officials said 63 wells on state forest land currently are tapped into the pipeline, a figure they expect to grow to 200 or more during the next year."

That means more than TRIPLING additional leases! A far cry from "no additional leases."

2. DEP Acting Secretary insisted that the current 78 inspectors are enough "boots on the ground" to properly inspect drilling sites. He is confident permit fees will cover future staffing needs.

BUT, His agency is on track to perform 7,200 Marcellus Shale gas well inspections this year, up from 5,000 last year.

That's a 44 % increase in gas well inspections THIS YEAR. If it took 78 inspectors last year, each would have inspected 64 sites. With the increase in sites, each inspector will now have to inspect 92 sites. Gollee, Gomer, do ya think the inspectors will just have to skip some of those sites? Do you think Corbett's DCNR will give the site operators a heads up so they can clean up before an inspection? Do you think the inspectors will be pressured to do cursory inspections? My answers? Yes, yes and yes.

[Divernan]

3. Del. County editorial: Corbett's plan needs inspection/ stinks.

An editorial from the Delaware County Times says Corbett's actions STINKS, and quotes former DEP Secretary Hanger:

“The idea that the secretary himself and the deputy secretary would presumably review, literally hundreds if not thousands of (notices of violation) before they were issued, when they were not on the site, they didn’t do the inspection, is incredible,” Hanger told the Associated Press. “It’s a new full-time job for the secretary, is what’s going to happen …
http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2011/04/01/opinion/doc4d953b80d92a3579004453.txt?viewmode=fullstory