Pa.’s new auditor general promises vigorous oversight of waterways
Pennsylvania’s new independent fiscal watchdog says job number one will be to review how the state oversees the quality of the state’s waterways.
At his swearing-in ceremony, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, a Democrat, lingered on the state’s history with steel mills and coal mines.
Today, he says, natural gas drilling is bringing similar economic development and environmental problems.
The former York County state representative says he intends to deliver on a campaign promise to look into the impact of natural gas drilling on the water supply.
“One of my first official duties as auditor general will be to initiate a performance audit of the Department of Environmental Protection to make sure our constitutional right to pure water is not being compromised,” he said.
DePasquale says he also intends to review how the auditor general’s office conducts audits, in order to make the process more efficient.
He succeeds Jack Wagner, another Democrat, who held the post for two four-year terms.
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