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Pa. environmental regulators take measured approach to private water supply complaints • Pennsylvania Capital-Star

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Pa. environmental regulators take measured approach to private water supply complaints • Pennsylvania Capital-Star


Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection doesn’t regulate private water supplies the way it does with public water utilities, the agency wrote Friday in a response to questions posed by PublicSource.

As a result, a DEP spokesperson wrote, the agency doesn’t typically determine the quality or safety of an individual’s private water supply, nor does it usually investigate the cause of a person’s complaint about their well.

DEP can, however, collect and evaluate data “to determine whether or not a causal relationship exists” between a water quality complaint and oil and gas activity.

In the case of the Lumber Pad frack out in New Freeport, the agency investigated, and did not identify a rapid worsening of water quality, according to the spokesperson. DEP provided PublicSource with partially redacted copies of letters to 13 water complainants, and in 11 of those cases the agency wrote that it “cannot conclude” that the water supply was adversely impacted by the incident. For the remaining two, which were spring water systems, the agency determined they were not impacted by oil and gas activity. The agency continues to investigate 10 additional complaints.

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DEP outlined its general process for handling complaints of water problems when there’s a potential tie to oil and gas activity. The agency:

  • Looks at any baseline information on water quality prior to the oil and gas activity
  • Sends geologists to visually inspect the property, water supply and well site
  • Where a release or spill of fracking fluids may be involved, tests for “constituents of concern” known to be associated with those fluids
  • If warranted, conducts more testing, notably including reviews for other substances used in oil and gas extraction and for chemicals that naturally occur in the given area
  • Sends the water user a detailed determination letter, plus a fact sheet meant to help people to understand the data.

If it determines that oil and gas activity affected water quality, the DEP and the drilling operator continue to investigate and sample, with an eye to understanding the extent of the impact.

On its website, DEP offers guidance to water supply owners to regularly test their private water supply https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/My-Water/PrivateWells/Pages/default.aspx.

Rich Lord is the managing editor at PublicSource and can be reached at [email protected].

This article first appeared on PublicSource and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.



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Pennsylvania

Governor Josh Shapiro signs overdue Pennsylvania state budget with bipartisan support

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Governor Josh Shapiro signs overdue Pennsylvania state budget with bipartisan support


HARRISBURG, Pa. (WPVI) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed the state’s overdue 2026-2027 budget on Sunday.

The $50.8 billion spending plan was passed by state lawmakers with bipartisan support.

It is smaller than Shapiro’s initial $53 billion plan proposed back in February.

“We managed, as the math indicates, to find compromise without compromising our core values,” said Shapiro. “If you go back and look at the goals we all set together way back in 2023 – funding our schools, making our communities safer, growing our economy….four years later, this budget reflects those continued priorities.”

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Lawmakers say this spending plan expands workforce development initiatives, devotes significant new funding for basic education, and increases funding for special education and early intervention services.

Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Gov. Shapiro signs $50.8B Pa. budget with focus on education, public safety

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Gov. Shapiro signs .8B Pa. budget with focus on education, public safety


PENNSYLVANIA (WFMZ-TV) — Governor Josh Shapiro signed Pennsylvania’s $50.8 billion budget into law Sunday.

The largest part– $11.8 billion funding education. It also funds four more State Police classes. The budget comes with an additional $10 million for career and technical education.

“If you go back and look at the goals we all set together way back in 2023– funding our schools, making our communities safer, growing our economy, and four years later this budget reflects those continued priorities,” said Governor Shapiro.

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Republican State Senator Jarrett Coleman said he voted against the budget.

“The issue with the budget is that this wasn’t a really honest budget. This was pretty deceptive,” said Senator Coleman.

One thing in particular he said he is against– delays in $2.6 billion in Medicaid payments to managed care providers to the next fiscal year.

“So, that’s disappointing and I don’t really care to play that game. I think Pennsylvanians deserve to have an honest conversation and make no mistake; tax payers will ultimately pay the price for this charade,” said Senator Coleman.

Democratic State Rep. Mike Schlossberg said he is happy with this budget.

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“I think by and large it was an extremely solid product,” said Representative Schlossberg.

This marks the fifth year in a row the budget was not passed by the June 30th deadline. The signing of this one comes months ahead of when last year’s budget was approved.

“I think some lessons were learned. I think everybody realized we cannot do last year, we cannot do again what we did last year and also candidly election coming up in a few months, nobody wants to leave it hanging out there,” said Representative Schlossberg.



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3 dead in wrong-way crash on I-76 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, state police say

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3 dead in wrong-way crash on I-76 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, state police say


Three people died in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 76 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Saturday morning, Pennsylvania State Police said. 

The crash happened just before 5 a.m. Saturday on I-76 westbound near mile marker 330, according to state police.

State police said a white Ford pickup truck was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-76 Saturday morning. 

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Troopers attempted to stop the truck twice, but the Ford pickup drove past them at a high rate of speed. 

The driver of the Ford then struck two vehicles head-on. According to state police, the occupants of the three vehicles involved in the crash died.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Pennsylvania State Police.



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