House Professional Licensure Committee hears support for licensure of well drillers

Harrisburg — State geologists, drilling contractors and professional geologists told the Pennsylvania House Professional Licensure Committee on Monday that the Commonwealth should establish formal licensure for water, geothermal, geotechnical and environmental well drillers to protect drinking water and strengthen industry accountability.

"Driller licensure will establish statewide construction and siting standards for private wells through best industry practices," said Gail Blackmer, state geologist and director of DCNR's Bureau of Geological Survey, arguing licensure would "strengthen accountability within the industry" and support "public health and consumer protection." (Gail Blackmer)

The witnesses described a licensing framework that would include two tiers — an "expert" multi‑technique credential and a "specialized" single‑technique credential — plus a trainee entry category, examinations set by the board, continuing education and biennial renewal. Blackmer said DCNR supports adding drillers to the existing State Board of Crane Operators "to build on efficiencies of an existing board" and to avoid creating a separate board.

Joseph J. Moholyk II, director of drilling operations for Terra Testing Inc. and vice president of the Tri‑State chapter of the National Drilling Association, described the technical role of geotechnical drillers and urged a board that can "review applications and be able to make changes to the rules and regulations since our industry and technology are always changing." (Joseph J. Moholyk II)

Industry witnesses and representatives of professional geologists said the current system in Pennsylvania is essentially a transactional registration for rigs and provides no meaningful proof of an individual's skill. "The drill rig was licensed, but not the driller," said Jason Floyd, a licensed professional geologist and CEO of Mountain Research, describing an incident in which improper installation produced contaminated water and officials had limited enforcement options. (Jason Floyd)

Department of State and BPOA staff told the committee a Sunrise application filed in 2022 supports creation of the license and estimated deployment details: roughly 620 licensees, an initial application fee in the range of about $80'$90 and an anticipated two‑year timeline to promulgate required regulations if the license is created under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs and assigned to the State Board of Crane Operators. The department noted placing the license under the crane board would allow implementation "to be done by current staff" without adding headcount. (BPOA representative)

Witnesses favored a two‑year grandfathering window allowing existing qualifying drillers to obtain credentials by documenting recent drilling footage or experience rather than requiring immediate passing of a new exam, and they recommended bonding and liability requirements for companies to improve consumer remedies in the event of improper work.

Committee members asked about training pathways, exams and whether licensure would add burdens for smaller operators. Witnesses said training is largely provided by industry associations today, that national certification programs and some two‑year associate programs exist, and that grandfathering and continuing education could mitigate hardship for experienced workers.

Chair Burns closed the informational meeting saying the committee would use the testimony to draft legislation. "I do believe we've uncovered some good information here that we'll use to draft legislation," he said. The committee adjourned without a formal vote on a draft bill. (Chairman Burns)

What happens next: Committee staff said legislators would draft bill language informed by the testimony and by the departmental implementation timeline; rulemaking and formal regulation would follow if legislation is enacted.