Drilling regulation

I am concerned with senatorial candidate Joe Sestak's recent comments requesting that the U.S. government take over as the regulator of Marcellus gas drilling in Pennsylvania ("Sestak, Toomey on Opposite Sides of Energy Debate," June 14).

Offshore drilling is regulated by the U.S. government and every day I can see scenes from the Gulf of Mexico of the disastrous results of its regulatory efforts. I believe U.S. environmental regulation is currently shaped by the K Street lobbyists. These people are a politician's best friend.

I believe the state Department of Environmental Protection is doing a good job in regulating drilling. It gives me further comfort that these regulators live and work in the environment they police. Our Pennsylvania water and natural resources are too important to be turned over to the U.S. government and K Street lobbyists.

JAMES E. WALDECK
Clarendon, Warren County