Well, the long awaited DRBC regs may be here. They were posted late today. There will be no comment period, that is over. The DRBC Commissioners will vote on the regs on November 21. Anti drilling groups have already said that they will sue, regardless of what the regs say.

See: http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/notice_naturalgas-draftregs.htm for the regs and a "fact sheet".

At first blush, the permitting system seems to be placed back into the hands of the individual States with the DRBC requiring: 1) Plans for companies with large holdings, I guess to show how they will minimize drilling; 2) Water withdrawal and disposal permits; 3) Surety to assure that the well sites will be restored and old wells capped; and 4) Water well testing.

I'll wait to see what the smart guys and gas companies say about it, but it looks like we have been allowed back into the State of Pennsylvania.