by Cabot for one year in the vicinity and required Cabot to install permanent water treatment systems in the affected homes. While the no-drill zone may put a damper on Cabot drilling in the Dimock area, the area designated by DEP accounts for only about 5,700 acres, about 2.9 percent, of the company's nearly 200,000 acres under lease in Susquehanna County. I commend DEP for taking action, but I remain concerned that the current status of Federal and State oversight of gas drilling may be inadequate to protect families living in close proximity to drilling activities.
In addition to the incidents in Susquehanna County, there have been other contamination events across Pennsylvania. For example, I understand that EPA is scheduled to test contaminated underground water in Washington County and that residents have spoken with an EPA investigator. I know that Pennsylvania has been permitting and managing natural gas development with the paramount goal of protecting the environment and public health. I commend the State DEP for taking steps to strengthen its regulations regarding drilling, and adding additional DEP staff to assist with the increased interest in gas drilling in the state. However, I again request that EPA continue to investigate and respond to water contamination in order to protect human health and the environment.
I believe it is important to protect the health and safety of Pennsylvanians as we further develop the Marcellus Shale. For this reason, I introduced the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act, S. 1215, that would require that hydraulic fracturing be regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, ensuring that a consistent set of Federally enforceable regulatory requirements are applied to the development of our natural gas resources. The FRAC Act would also require that the natural gas industry provide complete disclosure of the chemical composition of its hydraulic fracturing materials to ensure that if drinking water supplies, surface waters, or human health are compromised, the public and first responders will know exactly with what they are dealing. I view this as a simple matter of citizens having a right to know about any risks in their community.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to continue working with you in the future.
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