Northern Tier News

Rep. Martin Causer, the Republican chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, expressed concerns about the state Department of Environmental Protection's handling of data related to orphaned and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania. Causer criticized DEP for publicizing incorrect, incomplete, and misleading data, which he believes is hindering efforts to address the issue effectively. Causer highlighted the importance of using federal funds for well plugging wisely but noted that DEP's flawed database is a significant impediment.

During a recent ERE hearing, Arthur Stewart, president of Cameron Energy, echoed Causer's concerns about DEP data and pointed out specific examples of the negative impact of erroneous data. Stewart emphasized the need for DEP to provide answers to specific questions regarding the database, which have been pending for 10 months.

Causer, in his questioning of DEP's deputy secretary for the Office of Oil and Gas, Kurt Klapkowski, emphasized the importance of accurate and trustworthy data. Causer highlighted the lack of trust in DEP's data and its potential implications on discussions and decisions related to orphan and abandoned wells.

Causer concluded the hearing by emphasizing the need for more discussions with DEP to thoroughly examine all aspects of the state's orphan and abandoned wells. He expressed dissatisfaction with the brief time allocated for questioning during the hearing and called for more substantial conversations on the issue.

The hearing, which was limited to 15 minutes per testifier, allowed stakeholders to offer their testimonies and respond to questions from committee members. Causer's remarks and interactions during the hearing underscored the urgency of addressing the challenges posed by inaccurate data in the efforts to plug orphaned and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania.