Governor Corbett Asks Operators to Continue to Adhere to Setback Provisions
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has requested that oil and gas operators continue to help protect the rivers, streams and wetlands by adhering to environmental standards, including setback provisions, that were recently struck down by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. According to Governor Corbett’s press release, the setback provisions had required a minimum of 300 feet between an unconventional oil or gas well bore and a stream, spring, body of water or wetland (or 100 feet for a conventional well). The distance provisions could only be waived by the Department of Environmental Protection upon satisfactory demonstration of additional protective measures taken by an operator to ensure that water quality was fully protected. The Marcellus Shale Coalition, the Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association have indicated that they will comply with Governor Corbett’s request.