PIOGA President & Executive Director, Dan Weaver, addresses the significant debate in Harrisburg over a long-standing and misrepresented issue facing Pennsylvania in its role as the birthplace of the world’s oil and natural gas industry.

In the near future, Pennsylvania State Senator Gene Yaw will introduce legislation that will change the name of the “Department of Environmental Protection” to the “Department of Environmental Services”. Yaw explained - "The word 'protection' carries a law enforcement or security connotation rather than that of an environmental resource and partner to the citizens of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, enforcer has become the prevalent view of the department, overshadowing other work which is detrimental to an open relationship between the citizenry and their government regarding environmental issues."

PIOGA’s March 23 conference, held at the Rivers Casino, proved again that what we believe we know is taking place in the oil and gas industry is always less than the what is occurring in real time, and is always changing. The conference offered attendees updates and facts about important issues emerging in Pennsylvania and beyond.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will host five more town halls across the commonwealth this month to hear from environmental justice communities about efforts to combat climate change.

House Republicans passed legislation Thursday that would increase oil drilling and mining on public lands and waters, defying President Biden’s climate agenda and fulfilling a campaign promise to focus on lowering gasoline prices ahead of the 2024 election.

President Biden on Monday vetoed his first bill — blocking a Republican-led effort to restrict pension funds from making investment decisions based on factors such as climate change.

Taking a broader look at the intersection of several forces shaping energy development choices in underserved nations, including a lack of financing being driven by a reluctance to support needed electric generation facilities in those countries. Geopolitical factors, the most prominent being Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are also at the heart of some decisions being made by countries dealing with energy poverty or the need for additional generating capacity.

PIOGA released its formal response to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) 2021 Oil and Gas Annual Report and HB 2644 Lapsing Statement Report, issued December 29, 2022, which purport to provide an accurate snapshot of the conventional industry’s recent operations.

In January 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued two reports that include statistics and information about the oil and gas industry between 2017 and 2021, which purport to provide a snapshot of the industry. The 2021 Oil and Gas Annual Report and the report generated in response to Governor Wolf’s lapsing statement for House Bill 2644 (Act 96 of 2022) (Recommendation Report), however, fail to provide a complete or accurate picture of the industry, in part because they do not explain the realities behind the numbers or include descriptions of the good work of the conventional oil and gas industry to address environmental issues collaboratively.