Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has reacted to the press conference today at which Delegates Mike Manypenny (D-Taylor) and Barbara Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) presented a letter signed by 19 WV delegates calling for a cessation on issuing new drilling permits.  Tomblin is opposed to any moratorium.  He reasserted his faith that the WVDEP can adequately deal with the impacts of the shale gas industry.  “The (West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection) is ready to implement emergency environmental laws — drilling laws and so forth — to address that problem,” he said “And I think it would be a mistake to do any sort of moratorium at this time.”
Full story here.

Tomblin has requested that the WVDEP receive an additional $2 million in funding in this budget cycle to hire more inspectors.  According to Pam Nixon, WVDEP Environmental Advocate, that would allow hiring 8-10 more inspectors.  Currently there are 13 inspectors and 4 unfilled positions.   In case you haven’t heard yet, the Oil and Gas Division is already responsible for oversight of 55,000 conventional gas wells in West Virginia, 6,000 or so unplugged wells, 13,ooo orphaned wells, and the 900-3000 per year permitted horizontal wells. How many wells must each inspector cover?  Do the math.

What kind of power does WVDEP have to implement new protections?  Can it require setbacks of gas wells of more than 200′ from homes, drinking water supply wells and waterways?  Can it require that pit liners be removed and hauled to toxic waste facilities rather than being buried on site which has a very good chance of leading to contamination of ground water?   Can it require accountability for disposal of wastewater so that the chances of another criminal assault to the environment and safe drinking water such as occurred in the Allan’s Waste Water Services case will be minimized?   We’ll be seeking those answers, but not with a great deal of optimism.