As Marcellus Shale drilling operations spread all around us, GASP's work spreads as well.  We are busy dealing with these new challenges and are fighting on many fronts.  

• Last Tuesday, GASP appealed a West Virginia DEP permit for a large, and growing, Marcellus Shale operation in Wetzel County (The Intelligencer article here) in hopes of getting more stringent air pollution controls applied. 

• The PA DEP recently asked for comments on new well casing regulations that they were proposing.  Casing failures are one of the primary causes of groundwater contamination from natural gas drilling.  GASP is pleased to announce that many of our comments were incorporated into the new regulations.  Well design requirements have been strengthened by adding provisions demanding use of higher quality cement and centralizers to ensure proper casing placement, among other provisions. 

• GASP asked the Allegheny County Air Pollution Control Advisory Committee Tuesday night to develop better county regulations to rein in the air pollution from natural gas operations (Pgh Tribune-Review article here).

GASP will continue to monitor Marcellus news, speak out about the dangers that drilling poses to our air, and push for strong regulations and effective enforcement of the regulations we have already.

To jump right into the fight, join Marcellus Protest on November 3rd as they march from the North Shore to the David L. Lawrence Center where the gas industry is holding a 2-day conference.  Click here for more information.

www.gasp-pgh.org