Harrisburg, PA – Today, State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook announced the application period for the 2024 Act 13 Unconventional Gas Well Fund (UGWF) grant is now open. The online application will remain open until Saturday, November 30, 2024, at 4 p.m. The UGWF grant provides grants for volunteer and career fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and rescue companies in counties throughout Commonwealth where unconventional gas well drilling has been permitted to acquire the specialized training, skills, and equipment to respond to gas well related emergencies to keep communities safe.
Fire companies, rescue companies and EMS located in the 40 counties with unconventional gas wells, and the 11 counties that directly border those counties, are eligible to apply for the grants. A map of eligible counties is available here.
The Office of the State Fire Commissioner is committed to providing resources to our emergency services personnel to prepare for hazards facing our communities," said Commissioner Cook. "These grants help to cover the costs of vital training and equipment for unconventional gas well emergency response, ensuring our first responders and communities are safe in the event of an emergency."
Eligible projects in accordance with the 2024 UGWF Grant Program provided by the Act 13 of 2012, include development, delivery and sustainment of training, professional certification, or the acquisition of specialized equipment for emergency responses relating to natural gas production from unconventional gas wells.
Examples of eligible projects include:
- Obtaining professional national certification of fire, rescue, and EMS personnel.
- Purchase of firefighting, rescue, EMS, or air monitoring equipment used at or related to an unconventional gas well pad incident or related to an unconventional gas well pad, including training on the equipment provided by the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy at no additional costs to the grant recipient.
- Training classes and required educational materials to prepare for incidents at an unconventional gas well pad incident or related to the unconventional gas industry.
The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring safety at all oil and gas wells. In addition to the Act 13 grants, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been plugging orphaned and abandoned wells across the Commonwealth, ensuring they do not pose a threat to the environment or public health. Since the beginning of the Shapiro Administration, DEP has plugged more than 250 orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells. The Governor's 2024-25 budget allots an additional $11 million to DEP's Office Oil and Gas Management to be able to maintain the inspections of wells that Pennsylvanians expect and deserve and continue to capitalize on opportunities for federal funding.
Visit the Office of the State Fire Commissioner website for detailed information about the grant program and instructions on how to apply.