Metcalfe, House ERE Committee to Take Action on Landmark Orphan Well Plugging Legislation
WHAT: House Environmental Resources and Energy (ERE) Committee Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) will convene a voting meeting to advance legislation that would address the legacy environmental issue of plugging orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells.
House Bill 2528, sponsored by Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana), would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prioritize and award oil and gas well plugging contracts to eligible Pennsylvania employers before considering out-of-state companies.
House Bill 2644, sponsored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), would require DEP to appropriate federal funding to sustain Commonwealth well plugging efforts; establish a well plugging grant program; and update oil and gas well bonding amounts (as determined by the Legislature) to protect the environment and ensure the continued viability of Pennsylvania’s conventional oil and natural gas industry.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 7, at Call of the Chair.
WHERE: Room 205, Ryan Office Building, State Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.
LIVESTREAM: Barring technical difficulties, Monday’s informational meeting will be streamed live on
RepMetcalfe.com/livestreams.
Media contact: Ty McCauslin, 717.772.9979, tmccausl@pahousegop.com