Letter to PA-DEP 3.30.26

 

Jessica Shirley Secretary
PA Department of Environmental Protection
Rachel Carson State Office Building
400 Market Street
PO Box 2063
Harrisburg PA 17105-2063

March 30, 2026 

Dear Secretary Shirley,

I am writing on behalf of the Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC) regarding the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Community Meeting held in Monaca on March 19, 2026.

BCMAC is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and raise awareness about the health, safety and environmental risks associated with fracking and petrochemical expansion in Southwestern Pennsylvania. We sincerely appreciate the DEP’s environmental justice policy and the increased transparency a Community Meeting provides in this situation. Shell Chemical LLC’s Plan Approval D permit is a complex document, and we had hoped the meeting would offer an opportunity to ask questions alongside our neighbors and community members. However, the format of the meeting created significant barriers to meaningful community participation.

Members of the DEP were seated on a stage to respond to questions, but all questions had to be submitted at least 24 hours in advance and were vetted prior to the meeting. Attendees could not hear the full range of community concerns, and even questions submitted on note cards during the meeting were screened before reaching the moderator. This process limited transparency and prevented real time dialogue.

As a result, what was presented as a community meeting felt more like a controlled presentation. Shell representatives were given time at the microphone both at the beginning of the meeting and during the question-and-answer portion, while community members were not afforded the same opportunity to speak. Many of us left feeling talked at rather than engaged with.

This is especially concerning given the seriousness of the issues at hand. Our community continues to experience the impacts of pollution overall, and there are ongoing concerns about Shell’s compliance history. It is difficult to understand how additional permits are being considered when existing permit conditions have not consistently been met.

We attended this meeting in good faith, with the expectation that our request for an open microphone format would allow for transparent and equitable participation. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

The DEP will soon be scheduling a Community Meeting for Shell Chemical LLC’s Title V permit. For this Community Meeting, we respectfully request that the DEP:

Our community deserves a process that is informative, responsive and inclusive. Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Sincerely,
Hilary O’Toole
Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC)