{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://thompson.house.gov/press-release/thompson-lawmakers-seek-assurances-potentially-harmful-epa-wastewater-rule", "Thompson, Lawmakers Seek Assurances on Potentially Harmful EPA Wastewater Rule", "2016-11-03", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Glenn Thompson", "T000467", "thompson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bellefonte, PA \u2013U.S. Reps. Glenn \u2018GT\u2019 Thompson (PA-5), Mike Kelly (PA-3) and Keith Rothfus (PA-12) today wrote to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, regarding the \u201cZero Discharge\u201d rule. This regulation, which went into effect in August, creates new federal standards for the discharge of wastewater derived from \u201cunconventional oil and gas\u201d at publically-owned treatment works (POTWs). \u00a0The letter asks EPA to ensure that conventional oil and gas production, which has occurred in Pennsylvania for generations, will not be subject to the new rules. \u00a0Thompson and Kelly had previously written to the EPA to express concern that the regulation, as written, would affect the treatment of wastewater from traditional conventional oil and gas wells.\nIn both letters, the lawmakers expressed concern over the definition of an \u201cunconventional\u201d oil and gas well, which are typically associated with the Marcellus and Utica Shale gas drilling industry.\u00a0 The rule also lists a number of Appalachian basins subject to unconventional drilling, including the Devonian, Clinton-Medina and Tuscarora formations, which have also been produced through conventional oil and gas extraction means over the past several decades.\n\u201cIf the EPA does not clarify that this new regulation will not apply to water from conventional oil and gas wells, it could result in revenue losses for small towns and municipalities throughout Pennsylvania\u2019s 5th Congressional District,\u201d said Thompson.\u00a0 \u201cLosing hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue generated from wastewater treatment would be catastrophic to those publicly-owned facilities,\u201d Thompson added.\n\u201cThe loss of revenue from treating conventional oil and gas wastewater is equal to one half of our borough\u2019s general fund budget,\u201d said Ridgway Borough Manager Paul McCurdy.\u00a0 \u201cThe three-year implementation schedule for this rule is a step in the right direction and we will continue to work to address the other inconsistencies in this rule to make sure traditional oil and gas wastewater is not affected.\u201d\nThe lawmakers added that clarity on the issue of conventional gas well wastewater is essential, especially in light of the EPA\u2019s statement that it \u201cdoes not project the proposed rule will impose any costs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://thompson.house.gov/press-release/thompson-lawmakers-seek-assurances-potentially-harmful-epa-wastewater-rule"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7478321678936481, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}