Fritz Bills Promoting Pennsylvania’s Energy Capabilities Pass House

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Rep. Jonathan Fritz (Susquehanna/Wayne) applauded the House for voting in favor of his two bills to boost energy production and decrease the state’s reliance on Russia for oil and gas.

Pennsylvania sits on a bounty of natural resources,” said Fritz. After seeing the atrocities imposed on Ukraine by the Russian government, it has become clearer than ever that Pennsylvania must work to produce our own oil and natural gas and get those resources to market.”

Currently, residents are not permitted to lease their land for natural gas development based on the policies of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). Accessing these resources which would be a great benefit to the landowners, businesses and citizens, and an ideal opportunity to significantly increase gas production in Pennsylvania, Fritz said. “Constituents in Wayne County deserve the same opportunities and access to natural gas as residents in Susquehanna county,” These bills are the first step in extracting our own resources and becoming energy independent.”

House Bill 2450 would amend Pennsylvania’s version of the Delaware River Basin Compact to reapportion the voting rights within the DRBC based on the amount of the basin territory that is within each state.  Pennsylvania would have six votes under this plan, New Jersey would have three votes, New York would have two votes, Delaware would have one vote, and the federal government would have one vote.

House Bill 2451 would amend Pennsylvania’s version of the Delaware River Basin Compact to make it clear that it is not within the DRBC’s authority to ban fracking.

These bills now move to the Senate for consideration.

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