Harrisburg, PA – As part of the historic collaboration between the Shapiro Administration and CNX Resources Corporation, CNX has expanded its air monitoring to nine of its sites in Western Pennsylvania, with plans to expand the program across its operations statewide. The company is now providing real-time monitoring at seven active natural gas well pads and two compressor stations, and has also disclosed all chemicals used in its drilling and hydraulic fracturing processes prior to their use. This kind of transparency will help to provide fact-based, comprehensive health information for Pennsylvanians and inform future public policy in the Commonwealth.
Last year, Governor Shapiro and CNX Resources Corporation President and CEO Nick Deiuliis announced a historic commitment to heighten the company’s operational disclosures in collaboration with state environmental regulators and the public. The commitment, which addresses many of the recommendations of the 43rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, demonstrates how industry, government, and public advocates can find common ground and collaborate to keep people safe and move Pennsylvania forward.
Building on the collaboration with CNX, leading chemical manufacturer and distribution company Chemstream Inc. announced in February that it had agreed to disclose information about all of its proprietary chemicals, including those used in natural gas drilling and completions. Previously, companies would withhold the details of certain chemicals because they classified those details as “trade secrets.” Chemstream’s announcement means those details are now being released publicly for chemicals used both in Pennsylvania and in other states across the country.
“As Attorney General and now as Governor, I have listened to Pennsylvanians concerned about their health and safety – and I am delivering on the promise I made to them to secure these protections," said Governor Josh Shapiro. "My Administration is setting a new standard for Pennsylvania natural gas to be produced in a responsible, sustainable way and showing how we can bring people together to get things done. We’re going to follow through on our commitment to reduce pollution and ensure the health and safety of our communities while maintaining Pennsylvania’s proud energy legacy and our Commonwealth’s critical role in the nation’s energy economy.”
As part of the collaboration announced in early November, CNX committed to providing open-sourced, real-time emissions facts and data to all stakeholders in order to inform a comprehensive health response regarding natural gas development in Pennsylvania and publicly disclosing all chemicals intended to be used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing before they are used on site. CNX’s continued expansion of its air monitoring program follows through on important parts of the statement of mutual interests signed on November 2, 2023. CNX plans to continue to expand its monitoring program over the coming months.
Governor Shapiro also directed the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to take immediate action to pursue formal rulemakings and policy changes mirroring the collaboration. In January, the Shapiro Administration announced it would require all Pennsylvania operators to publicly disclose chemicals they use in drilling and hydraulic fracturing earlier in the well development process.
In addition to the disclosure of chemicals used in natural gas development, Governor Shapiro has also directed DEP to take action on improved control of methane emissions aligned with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently announced performance standards for emission sources in the oil and natural gas sector, stronger drilling waste protections, including inspection of secondary containment, and corrosion protections for gathering lines that transport natural gas.
As part of this collaboration, DEP will also conduct the most intensive independent study of unconventional natural gas wells in the nation. CNX will provide DEP with unprecedented access to two future CNX well sites, allowing for in-depth independent monitoring of the air emissions at both locations before, during, and after development of the new wells. This will make it possible for communities to understand the facts about natural gas development with more transparency than ever before.
This announcement is a next step in the Shapiro Administration’s continuing work to address climate change pollution and protect Pennsylvanians’ Constitutional right to clean air and pure water while maintaining our Commonwealth’s legacy as a national energy leader.
Read more about the historic collaboration here.
View CNX’s real-time air monitoring results here.
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