PEC Supports HB343

PEC sent the following letter to the General Assembly in Support of HB343

September 26, 2014

To: Members of the PA Senate

From: John Walliser, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

RE: Support for House Bill 343 (P.N. 2004)

Dear Senators:

On behalf of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, I am writing to express our strong support for House Bill 343 (P.N. 2004), which would establish water well construction and decommissioning standards. This legislation passed the House in June with strong bipartisan support, and now faces a very short voting opportunity in the Senate.

Pennsylvania remains one of only two states in the nation that has not enacted private water well standards. Without question, this is a critical public health concern for a large percentage of Pennsylvanians throughout the Commonwealth. Improperly constructed water wells can lead to poor water quality by providing pathways for bacteria and contaminants such as methane gas to migrate into water supplies. Ensuring that wells are constructed properly from the start will help to prevent water quality and public health problems in the future.

House Bill 343 is a balanced approach to this issue, and does not require metering of private wells (prohibited pursuant to Act 220 of 2002). Representative Ron Miller, the bill’s sponsor, joined us for a video interview about the need for this legislation. You can view the interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Gix6DZWy8&feature=youtu.be

This legislation has broad and diverse support, and deserves Senate consideration before the end of this year. We respectfully ask that you ensure this important bill is considered in the limited number of session days remaining. Thank you for your consideration.