{"id":1071,"date":"2013-02-04T18:02:41","date_gmt":"2013-02-04T18:02:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gastruth.org\/?p=1071"},"modified":"2013-02-20T20:01:55","modified_gmt":"2013-02-20T20:01:55","slug":"release-pa-dep-keeps-homeowners-in-the-dark-on-water-testing-policy-abruptly-cancels-meeting-with-environmental-groups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gastruth.org\/?p=1071","title":{"rendered":"Release: PA DEP Keeps Homeowners in the Dark on Water Testing Policy, Abruptly Cancels Meeting with Environmental Groups"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Immediate Release<\/strong><\/p>\n

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February 4, 2013<\/p>\n

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Contacts: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Nadia Steinzor, Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project, 202-887-1872, ext. 109<\/p>\n

TracyCarluccio,DelawareRiverkeeper Network, 215-692-2329<\/p>\n

Steve Hvozdovich, Clean Water Action, 412-765-3053 x 210<\/p>\n

Julie Edgar,LehighValleyGas Truth, 484-557-4182<\/p>\n

Iris Marie Bloom, Protecting Our Waters, 215-840-6489<\/p>\n

Melissa Troutman, Mountain Watershed Association, 724-455-4200<\/p>\n

Rebecca Roter, CrossCountyCitizensClean Air Coalition, 267-733-5211<\/p>\n

Erika Staaf, PennEnvironment, 412-491-4801<\/p>\n

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PA DEP Keeps Homeowners in the Dark on Water Testing Policy, Abruptly Cancels Meeting with Environmental Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

PA DEP\u2019s failure to explain their water testing policies and use of suite codes continues to leave concerned public demanding answers<\/em><\/p>\n

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Harrisburg<\/em>, PA<\/em> \u2013 <\/em>Mystery, questions and concern continue to surround Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s (PADEP) water testing and reporting policies related to suspected impacts from Marcellus Shale natural gas operations. These issues were originally revealed in the Kiskadden vs. PADEP<\/span> deposition of Taru Upadhyay, technical director of DEP\u2019s Bureau of Laboratories\u2014and described widely in subsequent news stories regarding the use of suite codes, which result in only partial test results being sent to homeowners.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere gas development goes, problems follow. Yet the DEP seems more interested in protecting its own information than protecting the environment,” says Nadia Steinzor, Eastern Program Coordinator, Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. “DEP should stop playing hide and seek and start giving the public better water and air tests, complete results, and honest answers.”<\/p>\n

“We’ve worked with and supplied clean water to desperate and impacted people begging DEP for more and better information about their water. By not giving these people full information, PA DEP is violating communities’ right to know, behaving with shocking arrogance, and endangering public health,” said Iris Marie Bloom, Director, Protecting Our Waters.<\/p>\n

In November, 25 organizations sent a letter to Governor Tom Corbett and Secretary Michael Krancer criticizing the PA DEP\u2019s water testing and notification policies as outdated, lacking transparency, and inadequate to protect residents and drinking water from pollution caused by gas drilling. The groups called for immediate action to be taken to reform PA DEP\u2019s procedures and to disclose all data collected through DEP water tests but only partially reported to households where the testing occurred.<\/p>\n

Following Secretary Krancer\u2019s reply to the letter, a meeting to discuss these issues was scheduled for January 24th<\/sup> between representatives of the signatory organizations and the PA DEP\u2019s Oil and Gas Division and Bureau of Laboratories. However, DEP abruptly cancelled the meeting. \u201cOur organizations were optimistic about the opportunity to finally get answers that we and the public are seeking regarding this important public health issue,\u201d said Steve Hvozdovich, Marcellus Shale Policy Associate, Clean Water Action. \u201cWe are extremely disappointed with the cancellation, particularly because the meeting was arranged at their suggestion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cResidents who are in the dark about their well water quality need answers and as advocates, we are determined to find out what\u2019s really going on. DEP\u2019s offer to meet seemed to represent a willingness to begin to address these issues, now that is called into question,\u201d said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been two and a half months since we sent our letter to the governor and it appears that we are no closer to getting answers to our questions,\u201d said Karen Feridun, Founder, Berks Gas Truth. \u201cPennsylvaniahas over 1,000,000 private water wells, more than any state exceptMichigan. How long do the millions of Pennsylvanians in the drilling region who rely on those wells have to wait for transparency from Secretary Krancer\u2019s DEP?\u201d<\/p>\n

In light of PA DEP\u2019s actions, the signatories scheduled to participate in the meeting sent a letter (see attachment<\/a>) to Secretary Krancer, expressing dissatisfaction with PA DEP\u2019s decision and outlining a list of pressing questions to which the public needs answers. Some the questions we hoped to have addressed during our meeting with PA DEP include:<\/p>\n

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