Critz Forms Special Caucus on Marcellus Shale
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
15 March 2011
By Daniel Malloy, Post-Gazette Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Aiming to educate colleagues and constituents, Rep. Mark
Critz, D-Johnstown, is forming a special caucus on the Marcellus Shale
natural gas play.
Joined by co-chair Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., Mr. Critz sent a letter last
month to colleagues in Pennsylvania and nearby states that sit atop the
Marcellus formation asking them to participate. The duo conceived the
idea during a retreat for new members of Congress in January.
"We want to bring industry in and we want to bring in folks who are on
the other side of the equation and get the full realm of the discussion
going," Mr. Critz said. "Our goal mainly is to dispel any of the myths
or untruths that are being talked about."
The "myths or untruths" mostly center on environmental concerns, Mr.
Critz said, citing a recent New York Times article on potential
radioactive contamination of Pennsylvania rivers that prompted a
pushback from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which
said its tests showed acceptable radiation levels.
Mr. Critz said he wants to explore: "What are the economic benefits?
What are the benefits otherwise? These companies coming in, are they
good community stewards?"
He said the caucus likely will stage field hearings in areas of heavy
shale development, such as Western Pennsylvania, and it might consider
legislation at some point.
The House already has a natural gas caucus, which is chaired by Reps.
Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, and Dan Boren, D-Okla., but Mr. Critz
said this effort will be more focused on the regional issues at stake
in shale drilling.
The most controversial federal initiative related to the industry is a
proposal to have the Environmental Protection Agency supplant state
agencies as the chief regulator of hydraulic fracturing natural gas
production. Mr. Critz praised the work of the DEP, saying other states
might not have as robust a regulator as Pennsylvania, and said it's
worth having a debate about how much of a role EPA should play.
"We've seen environmental disasters and certainly we want to prevent
that, but I think sometimes people get overzealous and there has to be
a balance," he said.
So far, the group has nine members in addition to the co-chairs: Reps.
Jason Altmire, D-McCandless; Bill Shuster, R-Blair; Lou Barletta,
R-Hazelton; Tim Ryan, D-Ohio; David McKinley, R-W.Va.; Shelley Moore
Capito, R-W.Va; Richard Hanna, R-N.Y.; Steve Stivers, R-Ohio; and Bill
Johnson, R-Ohio.
Mr. McKinley announced his membership in the group with a news release,
in which he said he hoped it would be a check on the Obama
administration.
"Before Washington liberals and EPA bureaucrats rush to judgment, it is
necessary we weigh all the scientific data before over-regulating
natural gas production -- as the Obama administration has done with
coal," he said. "I also understand that landowners and other local
families have concerns about development. That's why we formed this
caucus -- as an arena for measured debate over the Marcellus Shale and
its potential for responsibly creating new jobs and opportunities for
West Virginia and other states."
Daniel Malloy: dmalloy@post-gazette.com or 202-445-9980. Follow him on
Twitter at PG_in_DC.