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Committee forwards bill to license water, geothermal and environmental well drillers
Summary
House Bill 2302 was reported from the committee to establish licensure for water, geothermal, geotechnical and environmental well drillers under the State Board of Crane Operators, with a two-year grandfathering period and exclusion for oil and gas drillers; sponsor cited over 3,000,000 Pennsylvanians reliant on private wells.
The House Professional Licensure Committee reported House Bill 2302, a bipartisan measure to establish licensure for water, geothermal, geotechnical and environmental well drillers under the State Board of Crane Operators.
Representative Taycan, the bill sponsor, said the legislation would create accountability for drillers without adding new permitting processes and would include a two-year grandfathering period for the industry. He told the committee that more than 3,000,000 Pennsylvanians rely on private water wells, and said Pennsylvania is one of only a few states lacking statewide licensing standards and enforced construction or siting rules for wells. The bill, he said, excludes oil and gas drillers.
Committee staff summarized the bill and noted stakeholder engagement including state agencies, environmental and consumer groups and drilling industry representatives. With no negative votes recorded on the committee floor for this item, HB2302 was reported as committed from the House Professional Licensure Committee.
The measure addresses well-siting and construction standards through licensure and training pathways and is intended, according to the sponsor, to protect groundwater and homeowners in rural areas. The committee did not adopt substantive amendments during the meeting.
