RED ALERT! Senate Plans to Scuttle DEP Regulations

Although IRRC voted 4-1 to approve the rules protecting HQ streams and limiting the salts & other dissolved solids allowed to be dumped in our rivers, there is one last hurdle.

The Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee intends to pass a “Resolution of Disapproval”.

Lincoln said it best:
“Much good work is lost for the lack of a little more.”

So we have one last task to do.

Please write to Senators Pileggi, Scarnati and the Senate ER&E Committee, demanding that they allow the new DEP regulations to be enacted.

We should not allow the Senate to scuttle this – they are thumbing their noses at what their constituents have endorsed.

The members of the Senate ER&E Committee are listed at:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/cteeInfo.cfm?cde=15&body=S

Senator Joe Scarnati [President of the Senate ] contact information is at:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senate_bio.cfm?id=283 jscarnati@pasen.gov

Senator Dominic Pileggi [Majority floor leader ] contact info is at:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senate_bio.cfm?id=974 dpileggi@pasen.gov

Talking points – choose 2 or 3 that are important to you, or add your own:
* Taxpayers can’t afford a repeat of a cleanup after the O&G industry like we were stuck with after the coal industry.
* The public overwhelmingly endorsed these DEP regulations. You must respect the wishes of your constituents.
* Our coldwater fisheries are at risk. We need stream buffers to protect our trout streams.
* This is not a partisan issue, this is preserving our fishing heritage.
* Even the industry representatives at the IRRC hearing admitted that the capacity of our streams to handle TDS is limited.
* These CH 95 and CH 102 regulations are reasonable.
* You do not want to be remembered as the legislator who allowed industry to pollute our streams.
* These regulations have been approved by the EQA, IRRC and endorsed by the PA Fish & Boat Commission.
* Fishing is a $4.7 billion dollar industry in Pennsylvania, supplying 43,000 jobs.
* Texas allows NO frackwater at all in their streams. 500 mg/L is a reasonable compromise.
* The solution for pollution is not dilution. If public water plants downstream have to remove TDS to make it drinkable, we end up paying for the removal via higher water rates.
* We should be encouraging the new PA industry of frackwater treatment plants to treat the TDS from O&G drilling.
* We cannot take the chance on trusting industry with caring for our streams – too much is at stake.

You do not have to put your address in the message. Some legislators will ignore your comments if they see that you are not in their home district. ...Leave them guessing.

This message is from Dick Martin, Coordinator www.PaForestCoalition.org

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!