Clean Air Council Receives Grant from Heinz Endowments

The Clean Air Council of Pennsylvania, received a $180,000 grant over a period of 18 months to examine the natural gas drilling process in the state and identify sources of air emissions. Council executive director, Joseph Minott, says that they will use the awarded money to tackle a three-pronged approach regarding Marcellus Shale drilling. "First is that we're really looking at the adequacy of the regulations that are already in place or those processes that have no regulations at all," Minott says. After analyzing that, he says they will make suggestions to the state in terms of how they can make or amend regulations to deal with air pollution. Secondly, they want to examine the competence of enforcement. "We're really concerned that there are not enough resources being put into both air and water pollution," he says. Finally, Minnot noted the Council is going to look at distinct permits "to make sure that they're in compliance with both federal and state laws." Minnot says that when the public thinks about Marcellus Shale drilling, they think of water pollution, not air. One of the Council's goals is to get the public to focus on air pollution as much as they do water pollution.