Lawmakers react to DEP setting up Scranton office

By C.J. Marshall (Staff Writer)
Published: February 6, 2010

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Two area legislators have not ruled out the possibility of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) locating an office in Bradford County as natural gas drilling increases due to exploration of the Marcellus Shale.

The DEP announced recently that it will open an office in Scranton to allow field representatives easier access to gas drilling operations in the northeastern sections of Pennsylvania, particularly Bradford, Wayne and Susquehanna counties. Up until now, DEP representatives from Williamsport have had to drive long distances to investigate natural gas drilling operations in those areas. The new Scranton office is expected to cut down on the amount of travel time for officials conducting rig inspections and other DEP related matters.

Although Bradford County has seen a dramatic increase in natural gas well drilling over the past few years - and is expected to see an even larger increase in the future - the DEP has not indicated it will establish a center in the immediate area to allow its representatives easier access to companies exploiting the bonanza being provided by the Marcellus Shale. Instead, DEP has indicated that Bradford County will be served by representatives from its Williamsport office, as well as the new Scranton operation.

State Rep. Tina Pickett said that she at first "mentally flinched" when she heard the news the DEP would be locating a new office in Scranton as opposed to Towanda - or another location in Bradford County. However, Pickett continued, when she heard the office would also be serving Wayne and Susquehanna counties, she could see the advantages of locating the facility in that area - given the fact the facility will be located near Interstate 81.

"There's pros and cons on both sides of the issue," Pickett explained. "I would have liked to have seen the office located in Bradford County. But by locating it in Scranton, you don't have to have all those DEP officials traveling so far east."

Pickett said that - according to the information she's received from Penn State as well as industry reports - natural gas development is in its infancy in the area. As more wells are developed and more money is received from companies applying for gas permits, she said, the DEP will be able to hire more staff to oversee local gas drilling operations. In the future, Pickett said, she hopes the DEP will consider Towanda as a site for an office as gas drilling increases throughout the area, as well as the rest of Pennsylvania.

State Sen. Gene Yaw agreed that the local gas drilling industry is in its infancy at the moment and more gas well operations will be set up in the future. One thing limiting development at the moment, Yaw explained, is the lack of pipelines which would provide delivery of the natural gas. He pointed out that it costs approximately $1.2 million per mile to lay a natural gas pipeline. This is why companies are still exploring locally with test wells, Yaw said, to get a feel where the natural gas is located before making a major investment in laying pipelines.

Yaw said the Williamsport DEP office has set up a satellite facility in Mansfield to serve the needs of the people in Tioga County on gas drilling operations. The senator said DEP could set up a similar operation in Towanda if natural gas drilling operations increase. Yaw said he is aware natural gas drilling is increasing in his legislative district as other sections of Pennsylvania, and it will be necessary for the DEP to increase its operations as well to make certain all gas companies are maintaining safe and proper standards in all communities.

C.J. Marshall can be reached at (570) 265-1630; e-mail: cjmarshall@thedailyreview.com.

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3 posted comments

As Yaw pointed out in the article, there already is an office in Mansfield, so having one in Scranton makes sense. Bradford County might be the center of the gas universe for now, but Susqehanna and Pike Counties aren't that far behind.
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Dan,  02/09/10 11:00
as usual our state reps are way behind the eight ball. How comforting it is to know that Tina Pickett did not know this and 'mentally flinched" at the news. Give me a break! The bright side of it is that at least they are adding some inspectors for the region.
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as usual,  02/06/10 5:52
While I agree Towanda is the obvious location for this office, I could have lived with Montrose, or even Mansfield.

The point is, it's a joke to place the office outside the Northern Tier. This goes directly to the mindset of the idiots we have running state government. For them, taxpayers paying the travel costs for hundreds of state employees between Scranton and this region is just fine. In their infantile minds, Towanda, Montrose, and Mansfield are all wilderness locations, incapable of supporting their high falutin' city lifestyles. What a bunch of shmoos!

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Peter Smith,  02/06/10 8:55