Recent Articles

EPA well testing in Dimock finds No Contamination

Joel Bolstein
March 16, 2012 13:12

In an article appearing this morning, it was reported that EPA's first round of samples failed to identify any contamination in 11 residential wells in Dimock.   Why am I not shocked by that?  Probably because I actually believe PADEP and Cabot when they...

"We are One DEP"

Joel Bolstein
March 07, 2012 15:22

In his recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations budget hearing, Pennsylvania DEP Secretary Mike Krancer told the committee members that one of his central themes, from the outset of his tenure as Secretary, has been to emphasize that the Department is "one...

PA Marcellus Legislation Brings Several Hammers Down on Local Ordinances

Joel Bolstein
February 16, 2012 22:20

A lot has been said about the preemption of local ordinances contained in the amendments to the PA Oil and Gas Act (HB 1950) recently signed into law by Governor Corbett.  But not much has been said about the multiple hammers given to the oil and gas companies for invalidating those...

SAB Process Subcommittee Begins Year Long Project to Help DEP Revise the Act 2 Technical Guidance Manual

Joel Bolstein
January 12, 2012 15:29

Yesterday I chaired a meeting in Harrisburg of the Process Subcommittee of the Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), which has been tasked with helping provide advice to the Department on revising the Act 2 Technical Guidance Manual (TGM).   The subcommittee is made...

Secretary Krancer Lays Down the Law Before Congress

Joel Bolstein
November 21, 2011 22:25

In testimony delivered last week before a Congressional Subcommittee in Washington, D.C., PADEP Secretary Michael Krancer did what a thoughtful judge should do.  He set forth both the facts and the law on the subject of Pennsylvania's regulation of the Marcellus Shale.  In 19...

DRBC Postpones Vote on Marcellus Regulations

Joel Bolstein
November 18, 2011 20:18

In a press release issued earlier today, the DRBC announced that it is postponing the special meeting it had scheduled for November 21 to vote on its proposed Marcellus regulations.  No new date was provided.  At this point, the uncertainty created by...

CSSAB to Provide Input on Revising Act 2 Technical Guidance Manual

Joel Bolstein
October 30, 2011 18:24

On October 28, I was asked to chair the newly reconstituted Process Subcommittee of the PA Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), for the express purpose of helping the Department revise the Act 2 Technical Guidance Manual (TGM).  I was participating in the...

How Many Bats Does It Take to Stop a Windmill?

Joel Bolstein
October 20, 2011 18:41

We've got many different kinds of bats in Pennsylvania but only one can stop a windmill.  We've got big brown bats, little brown bats, tri-colored bats, hoary bats, small-footed bats, silver-haired bats, northern long ear bats, red bats, evening bats, and an occasional seminole...

Three Counties Tops in Marcellus Gas Production

Joel Bolstein
October 12, 2011 12:49

An article appearing in Directions Magazine notes that Bradford, Susquehanna and Greene Counties have the highest producing Marcellus Shale gas wells in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, according to the most recent data.   The same article notes that as of June 30, 2011, there...

DRBC Should Use Extra Time to Give Full Consideration to PA's Objections to the Proposed Marcellus Regulations

Joel Bolstein
October 10, 2011 13:51

Natural gas drillers looking to engage in Marcellus Shale exploration and development in northeastern Pennsylvania (mostly Wayne and Pike counties) are going to have to wait a little longer before they can start putting in their applications with the Delaware River Basin...