Dear Editor,

A recent audit found that over 200 cases of groundwater contamination from oil and gas production have been reported to our Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection since 2007.We deserve better we need DEP to make rules that protect the commonwealth and step up enforcement of rules already on the books.Our homegrown energy industry and its nearby communities will benefit from available and affordable solutions to address pollution caused by gas production. Methane, a major component of natural gas, is leaking from every production site in Pennsylvania.Effective methane controls would cost the industry less than a penny per every $4 to $5 in earnings. These controls could reduce leaks by 40 percent over the next five years. DEP should take a look at what is happening in other energy producing states and learn about the methods being used to protect water and air.In doing so, I bet they'd find we're putting the state's economy and health of its residents at risk for no good reason. Effective rules and enforcement to limit methane pollution seem like a no-brainer.Brial HotskoSummit Hill