Letter: DEP Leader's Resignation Validates Concerns About Department

Editor's Note: Gov. Tom Corbett on Friday announced that Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Sec. Michael Krancer will step down from his position. Canon-McMillan Patch received this letter to the editor from state Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil. To read the press release the DEP issued about Krancer's departure from the department, click here.

Dear Editor,

As a Civil War re-enactor, Michael Krancer should know a true general puts the people first, and his failure to do so has forced him to retreat from the battlefield in disgrace.

The legacy of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under his leadership will be one of controversy, political games and personal attacks, which have absolutely no place in such a critically important state agency.

The announcement of Mr. Krancer’s resignation clearly validates my concerns with the way DEP conducts business and strengthens my conviction to demand real accountability and transparency from the Corbett administration. The approach taken under his tenure has been especially frustrating for legislators such as me, who favor the responsible development of Marcellus Shale, but who also demand true accountability from all stakeholders.

I urge my colleagues and the public to turn up the pressure and demand DEP make its intentions clear by finally addressing our unanswered questions about water quality testing, specifically the use of “Suite Codes,” which prevent Pennsylvanians from seeing the full and complete data they absolutely deserve.

My own questions regarding DEP’s approach to water quality testing have been met with glib and condescending political sound bites, not real answers. It’s time to get those answers, as well as the full raw testing data from air-quality tests conducted at the

The time for games, secrets and deflection is over. Actions speak louder than words, and it is time for real action from DEP.

Pennsylvania deserves a DEP that is committed to having an open and honest conversation about Marcellus Shale policy and act as an independent regulator instead of being a blatant cheerleader for the gas industry, as Mr. Krancer has consistently done.

This resignation presents an opportunity for Gov. Corbett to show he’s actually looking out for the people of Pennsylvania, not the people who are lining his campaign war chest. Does it signal a real change for policy, or is this just more politics as usual?

- State Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil