WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement after an explosion at a Washington County gas well site injured three workers:
"My thoughts go out to the workers injured in the explosion. My office has been in contact with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Environmental Protection and local officials to keep informed on the situation and to offer assistance.
"I will continue to monitor the situation as the investigation unfolds."
Senator Casey has pushed for greater safety and emergency response measures at natural gas wells.
In July 2010, he chaired a field hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee entitled “Emergency Response in the Marcellus Shale Region.” At the hearing, Senator Casey heard from panelists testifying on current emergency response procedures and whether there is a need to increase regulation over emergency response procedures. Senator Casey also sought input on legislation he would later introduce to improve emergency response at oil and gas wells. In August, Senator Casey visited the site of the Clearfield County blowout.
Senator Casey's Faster Action Safety Team Emergency Response (FASTER) Act provides the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with the ability to draft regulations that will enhance emergency response procedures at oil and gas wells. Specifically, the Act provides OSHA the power to draft regulations that will require operators to:
• Have an employee, knowledgeable in responding to emergency situations, present at the well at all times during the exploration or drilling phase;
• Make available a certified response team, within three hours of ground travel time, if an emergency situation arises;
• Contact local first responders within 30 minutes of the commencement of an emergency situation;
• Contact OSHA within 1 hour of the commencement of an emergency situation;
• Contact the National Response Center within 1 hour of the commencement of an emergency situation;
• Provide communication technology at the well site (e.g.., mobile communication or satellite phone);
• Provide annual training to local first responders on the hazards of a well site and proper emergency response techniques; and
• File an annual report with OSHA that names the certified response team assigned to each well of the operator.
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