STATEIMPACT PENNSYLVANIA - Environmental regulators on Wednesday approved an emergency measure to curb emissions at oil and gas sites.
The move should help the state avoid federal sanctions.
The Environmental Quality Board voted 16-2 to adopt the rule limiting emissions of volatile organic compounds and methane at existing conventional gas sites. The state is facing a Dec. 16 deadline to have the rule in place.
Gov. Tom Wolf signed a Certification of Need for the emergency regulation on Wednesday
The rule will take effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. DEP hopes that will happen in the Dec. 10 bulletin.
A previous, identical rule was held up by a disapproval vote in a state House committee. Under Pennsylvania law, regulations do not need approval by the legislature, but lawmakers can try to stop rules with a disapproval resolution. Voting to disapprove starts a period of 10 legislative days for the full chamber to vote. If both chambers vote to disapprove with a veto-proof majority, the regulation is stopped.
Nov. 30 is the legislature’s last session day, but the disapproval resolution will stay in play into the new session that starts in January.
The Department of Environmental Protection cited that delay as a reason the emergency measure is needed.
Glendon King, who represents House Republicans on the EQB, blamed DEP for moving slowly on the rule. The federal standards that dictate the rule were established in 2016.
“DEP’s lengthy process is not a proper reason, under the law, for an emergency certified regulation,” King said.
Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) said Republican legislative majorities have starved DEP for resources for years, then blamed the agency for not moving fast enough. He said the rule has been vetted and shouldn’t be delayed further.
“We’re going to lose $500 million in highway funds. That’s not an emergency? Well, it is in my book,” Vitali said.