What's Wrong with DEP?
Since Monday, I've been trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to write about the Department of Environmental Protection. For people who don't know, they're holding up at least two major projects here in McKean County. The two that got me thinking even more about this on Monday are the Foster Township sewer line extension and the Lafferty Hollow Industrial Park.
During Monday's Foster Township Supervisors meeting, the board said different branches of the DEP are at odds with each other. For instance, once branch says the township must extend the sewer lines. Another branch won't give them approval on where to put the lines.
I'm not surprised that a government agency is being that ridiculous, but before I wrote anything, I wanted to find out if other municipalities in the state are having similar problems.
I got my answer while talking to Joe Scarnati Wednesday night. He said, "One thing about DEP is that they're equally abusive everywhere around the state."
He also told me DEP is the number one issue people want to talk about when he travels throughout his district. And remember, folks, that's one big district.
Now let's move on to Wednesday. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a hearing concerning the governor's energy plan. Marty Causer asked DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty for her support in allowing oil and gas drilling on state-owned lands.
He told me today that she wouldn't give him a definitive answer on that, but he'll keep pushing her. As Marty said, you can't just look at biofuels and other types of alternative energy. You have to consider other untapped resources – like those sitting under state-owned land.
Joe Scarnati will be on the LiveLine later this month. Usually I don't tell him what we're going to talk about, but I gave him a heads-up this time. My first question will be "What the heck is wrong with DEP?" He says he's looking forward to answering that question – and he's also looking forward to introducing his legislation that will "take on" DEP.
During Monday's Foster Township Supervisors meeting, the board said different branches of the DEP are at odds with each other. For instance, once branch says the township must extend the sewer lines. Another branch won't give them approval on where to put the lines.
I'm not surprised that a government agency is being that ridiculous, but before I wrote anything, I wanted to find out if other municipalities in the state are having similar problems.
I got my answer while talking to Joe Scarnati Wednesday night. He said, "One thing about DEP is that they're equally abusive everywhere around the state."
He also told me DEP is the number one issue people want to talk about when he travels throughout his district. And remember, folks, that's one big district.
Now let's move on to Wednesday. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a hearing concerning the governor's energy plan. Marty Causer asked DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty for her support in allowing oil and gas drilling on state-owned lands.
He told me today that she wouldn't give him a definitive answer on that, but he'll keep pushing her. As Marty said, you can't just look at biofuels and other types of alternative energy. You have to consider other untapped resources – like those sitting under state-owned land.
Joe Scarnati will be on the LiveLine later this month. Usually I don't tell him what we're going to talk about, but I gave him a heads-up this time. My first question will be "What the heck is wrong with DEP?" He says he's looking forward to answering that question – and he's also looking forward to introducing his legislation that will "take on" DEP.
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