HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania State Police placed 208 trucks out of service during a three-day enforcement effort that focused on commercial vehicles hauling waste water from Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations in the state, announced Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski.
“Pennsylvania is experiencing heavy truck traffic in areas where Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations are taking place, particularly in Bradford, Clearfield, Susquehanna, Tioga and Washington counties,” Pawlowski said. “The process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, requires significant amounts of water to be delivered to the sites and later trucked away.”
Pawlowski said 140 of the vehicles placed out of service were trucks hauling waste water from the drilling operations. The others were trucks being used in support of drilling operations, or trucks not involved in drilling operations that were traveling roads where the inspections took place.
In total, 1,135 trucks were inspected during “Operation FracNET,” which was conducted Sept. 27-29. State police Troops B, C, F, P and R participated.
In addition to placing vehicles out of service, state police also issued 959 citations and placed 64 drivers out of service. The most common problems involved faulty brakes, exterior lighting issues and hauling permit violations.
During an “Operation FracNET” held June 14-16, troopers placed 250 trucks and 45 drivers out of service and issued 669 citations.
Editor’s Note: Following is a breakdown, by state police troop area, of the number of inspections conducted; number of vehicles placed out of service; and citations issued by state police during the three-day program:
• Troop B (Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties), 343 inspections; 60 vehicles placed out of service; 168 citations;
• Troop C (Clarion, Clearfield, Forest, Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties), 158 inspections; 21 vehicles placed out of service; 97 citations;
• Troop F (Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Union and Tioga counties), 258 vehicles inspected; 30 vehicles placed out of service; 160 citations;
• Troop P (Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming and part of Luzerne counties), 207 inspections; 75 vehicles placed out of service; 418 citations;
• Troop R (Lackawanna, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties), 169 inspections; 22 vehicles placed out of service; 116 citations.