Capitol Matters: Tech makes tracking well sites even easier

Published: August 7, 2011

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HARRISBURG - A Conyngham Borough native is posting public information about the location of gas wells in Pennsylvania, their production statistics and violations, if any, on a website he has developed.

The website at www.fracktrack.org is a project undertaken by Jamie Serra to spread public awareness about the drilling activities that are changing both the economy and the environment in the Marcellus Shale formation that covers much of Northeast Pennsylvania.

Mr. Serra is a staffer for the Democratic chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, but his website is a non-profit sideline venture that's separate from his job.

At age 25, Mr. Serra is demonstrating how quickly individuals can put basic information out to the public in an accessible manner ahead of government agencies.

He has developed a Marcellus mapping application on the web site. Users can click on a county to get information on wells based on permits granted by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Clusters of pop-ups appear in drilling boom counties. Click on one and a well site with the drilling company name and location show up. Boxes provide additional detail on well production records, violations and how waste from that site is disposed of.

The map also identifies where landfills that accept drilling waste material are located.

Mr. Serra said he's taking information available in public reports, but making it of direct use to local residents through the mapping application which he noted isn't on the DEP web site.

"This will increase the awareness of what's happening in the community," he added. "It will help landowners become part of the policy-making."

Mr. Serra said this information is useful to citizens as lawmakers debate various bills to levy a local impact fee or state severance tax on drilling.

The governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission touches briefly on the issue of providing more public information about gas exploration and drilling in its new report. The commission recommends that DEP post well fracking and completion reports and updated well inspection reports on-line.

Legislative downsizing

The House State Government Committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday on several bills to reduce the size of the General Assembly. These bills set various timetables for making the 203-member House and 50-member Senate smaller.

One measure on the agenda sponsored by House Speaker Sam Smith, R-66, Punxsutawney, would reduce the size of the House to 153 members, or by 25 percent. As an amendment to the state Constitution, statewide voters would get to vote on Mr. Smith's proposal if it is approved by lawmakers.

During the past half-dozen years, a number of lawmakers and activists have called for a reduction in lawmakers as a cost-saving measure. But Mr. Smith said his main goal with a reduction is to make the House operate more smoothly. He has said the consultative process on legislation will move quicker if fewer members have to be consulted.

ROBERT SWIFT is Harrisburg bureau chief for Times-Shamrock Communications newspapers, of which The Daily/Sunday Review is a part. Email: rswift@timeshamrock.com

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