In an area that spans nearly half of eastern Pennsylvania, beginning around Williamsport, there are only six state Department of Environmental Protection employees specifically assigned to monitor water quality and perform inspections of natural-gas production sites - at a time when it is evident that the industry will continue its push into the region.
The fact that six employees are committed to the task of protecting public health by ensuring that water, or the environment at-large, does not become tainted due to natural-gas drilling was clearly made during a public presentation on Monday in Preston Township by two state Department of Environmental Protection  (DEP) employees.
At least 25 people were in attendance, held at the Northern Wayne Fire Company building in Preston Township; some pointedly questioned whether DEP can fulfill its core mission of environmental protection with an industry that requires substantial oversight.
The office charged with monitoring the burgeoning natural-gas industry in nearly half of the state, DEP’s eastern regional office, has three employees assigned to keeping an eye on water-quality issues that may arise and three “oil and gas” inspectors who certify that a natural gas drill site will not negatively impact the surrounding environment among other concerns that include preventing aquifer contamination.
The revealing slide in the presentation, that displayed employee counts, was one of many providing a general overview of the agency’s role and a basic review of natural gas drilling.
According to the wide-ranging presentation by Bruce E. Jankura who supervises the three “oil and gas” inspectors, DEP would like to hire two more “water quality specialists” and one more “oil and gas” inspector to work in the eastern regional office.
That would increase the employee count in these critical areas to nine.
But whether these vacancies are filled remains to be seen. In addition, there is an anticipated purging of some DEP staff on the horizon, after the state legislature greatly reduced the agency’s budget as part of broad-based spending cuts to offset the Commonwealth’s $3.2 billion deficit.
“Our legislature has decided that DEP overall is going to have a 27-percent budget cut,” said Jankura, “which is not good.”
Jankura added that the 27-percent cut has left a “black cloud” over the agency, and he hopes the oil and gas division will not be impacted.
Jankura, along with local DEP inspector Steve Watson who was also at the meeting, both expressed confidence throughout presentation that the agency is up to the task of properly regulating the industry.
Although Wayne County has had only two natural gas wells drilled in the past two years, other areas in the region have experienced a rapid proliferation of production sites including in Susquehanna, Bradford, and Tioga counties. Hundreds of drill sites are expected to come online by the end of next year in the eastern office’s jurisdiction.
In 2008 alone, 476 permits were issued by the state Department of Environment to natural gas operators to drill the Marcellus Shale, a substantial natural gas reserve and geologic formation that underlays most of the state and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Wayne County, which is under the purview of the eastern regional office, has been extensively leased by landowners, allowing natural gas companies to drill here.
“Oil and gas” inspectors and “water-quality specialists” are charged with monitoring on-site erosion and sediment issues, drill pad and wastewater-pit construction, and oversight of ground and surface water in the vicinity of a drill site, among other duties.
They also ensure the proper installation of well-casings, which protect drinking-water aquifers from pollutants associated with natural gas drilling.
“If ... there is a problem and it is legitimate,” said Watson, who is a Wayne County resident, “I’ll be out there” to inspect.
Watson said he was on-scene after Cabot & Oil Gas reported three chemical spills in Dimock Township, Susquehanna County, recently.
“We can’t control every spill. ... spills are going to happen,” he conceded, noting that it is a matter of “human error.”
“We just can’t be there 24 / 7. We just can’t,” he added. “(I) do the best I can to enforce the regulations.”