Bradford’s past may be rooted in large part in the oil industry, but a bill vetoed Wednesday by Gov. Tom Wolf may well threaten the industry’s future.

According to state Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, the bipartisan Conventional Oil and Gas Wells Act — Senate Bill 790 — would have helped ensure the future of the state’s 160-year-old conventional oil and gas industry and the jobs it supports.

The act would have governed the conventional, shallow-well oil and gas industry with reasonable, responsible and relevant regulations, Causer said. At the same time, it would have put a stop to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s efforts to subject the industry to regulations created to address far more impactful unconventional natural gas drilling activities.

“There are major differences between unconventional deep-well drilling and conventional, shallow-well drilling…differences that this administration continues to ignore because it doesn’t fit their narrative,” Causer said. “The industry is struggling immensely, and a significant cause of that struggle is the lack of understanding and purposeful misrepresentation of how our conventional oil and gas operations work in a safe and environmentally conscious manner.”

The representative continued, “Nearly all of Pennsylvania’s conventional oil and gas wells are owned and operated by sole proprietors or small businesses. These men and women live, work and raise their children in the same communities where they are drilling for oil and gas.

“They are capable of and committed to producing this valuable energy source while also ensuring clean air and water for themselves and future generations,” he added.

The legislation was developed in large part by members of the Penn Grade Crude Development Advisory Council, which was created by Act 52 of 2016 to advise and assist DEP with regulatory changes impacting the conventional industry. DEP is represented on the council and participated in the development of the legislation. Causer is also a member of the council.

In his veto message, Wolf said the measure did not “adequately protect the environment and the public health and safety of the citizens … and would contribute to a legacy of environmental degradation.”

Wolf said the DEP has attempted to work with the industry and General Assembly to develop regulations specific to the conventional industry, but instead, “this legislation was pursued, which rolls back protections for safe drinking water, weakens protections of public resources, allows more spills to go unreported and avoids erosion and sediment control permitting requirements.”

The governor called the bill unacceptable.

“I disagree with every single thing (Wolf) put in his veto message,” Causer said. “The first thing that came to mind is ‘did the governor read this bill?’”

The legislation is something that has been in the works for 8 years, with input from the DEP, local producers and the Advisory Council.

“It passed with bipartisan support,” Causer said. “People in the legislature are starting to recognize the differences” between the unconventional and conventional, shallow well drilling.

And, Causer said, “We’re the ones who have been reaching out. This legislation was the product of discussions from that Crude Development Advisory Council.

“We put things in the bill at their request. We took things out of the bill at the governor’s request.”

He added that he wasn’t surprised, but finds the veto disheartening.

“It’s never enough regulation for some of these people. Some of these people just plain hate fossil fuels,” he added. “What we’re seeking is separate and distinct regulations. No one is asking for no regulation.”

Regarding the governor’s remarks about environmental degradation, Causer said this bill included a mechanism for plugging orphaned wells, a big problem in this part of the state.

“His words ring hollow to me,” Causer said of the governor’s message.

While he’s disheartened, he isn’t about to give up the fight.

Causer said, “We’ll keep working on it. A lot of work by a lot of people has gone into it. We’ll keep working on it.”

With the legislative session ending this month, the bill will have to be reintroduced when the new session begins in January.