May 5, 2009

SB 297 sponsored by Senator Gene Yaw (Lycoming) was amended and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee today.

The bill requires oil and gas well operators to submit a semi-annual report in addition to the existing annual report, removes the five-year confidentiality provision of oil and gas production reports and requires the DEP to post reports on their website.

The amendment adopted; reinstates the requirement for non-marcellus shale well operators to only report annually, specifies that DEP must only post Marcellus Shale well production reports online and directs DEP to use funds from permitting fees to pay for costs incurred under this legislation. Read the bill.