Sunday NewsClips

PA Natural Gas Levy Became Inevitable
Bradford Commissioners Disagree On Drilling Fee
Impact Fee Bill Addresses Housing Needs
PUC Would Get Shale Role Under Drilling Bill
Rural Loophole Curbing PA Pipeline Inspections
Pipeline Tested Ahead Of Tie-In To Shale Wells
Firefighters Learn To Deal With Drilling Emergencies
Assessing PGW's Liquid Natural Gas Future
Dominion Resources Playing Responsible Role In Drilling
PennEnvironment Violations Report Half-Baked
Shale Drillers Drinking From Slippery Rock Creek
Can Pennsylvanians Survive Under Another Corbett Budget?
As Roads, Bridges Deteriorate, Governor Silent
Editorial: Must A Bridge Fall Down?
Electronics Recycling Date Set At Greensburg Mall
GE Invests In Cleaner Evolution Locomotive
Winterfest At Ohiopyle: No Snow, Still A Go
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Saturday NewsClips

Corbett Talks Education, Transportation Spending
State Managers Will Get 1 Percent Raise In New Budget
$1.8 Billion Cut/Diverted From Environmental Programs Over 10 Years
Marcellus Shale Vote Divides Alle-Kiski Lawmakers
Pickett Says Impact Fee Addresses Concerns Of Communities
Pipeline Projects In Works For Lycoming, McKean, Elk Counties
Why DEP Cut Chesapeake's Fine In Half
DEP Head: PA Making Right Call On Gas Drilling
New Film In Defense Of Fracking
Man Pleads Guilty To Dumping Millions Of Gallons Of Waste
Greene County Man Pleads Guilty To Illegal Dumping
More Birds Die As Temple Grows
Game Commission Hopes Bald Eagles Return To Haldeman Island
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClps

Feb. 13 PA Environment Digest Now Available

Feb 13 PA Environment Digest now available.  Click Here to print this entire Digest.

Senate, House Send Drilling Fee, Environmental Protection Bill To Governor

The House Wednesday voted 101 to 90 to send Marcellus Shale legislation-- House Bill 1950 (Ellis-R-Butler)--  to the Governor for his signature.  The House followed a 31 to 19 vote in the Senate Tuesday to approve the same legislation.
            House Bill 1950 contains a uniform, statewide county-adopted drilling impact fee and a set of more than a dozen additional environmental protection measures.  In addition, the bill contains a transfer of monies from the DCNR Oil and Gas Fund to the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund. (Click Here for bill summary.  Click Here for revenue distribution.)

            If all the Marcellus counties adopted the drilling fee, the fee would raise about $180.5 million in 2011 and $211.1 million in 2012 and revenue would increase to about $355 million in 2015.  (Click Here for revenue projections.)

            Unfortunately, these gains in funding for local government and environmental projects were offset in part Tuesday in the Governor's FY 2012-13 budget proposal which calls for $56.6 million in funds from the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund and the Cigarette Tax to go to the General Fund to balance the state budget. 

            About $36.1 million from the Keystone Fund and $20.5 million from the Cigarette Tax goes to the General Fund.  While Department of Agriculture staff have said the $20.5 million will be made up with interest payments from the Growing Greener II bond fund, that is still a net loss to environmental funding.

Governor's Office Publishes Regulatory Agenda For Next Six Months

The Governor's Office published its semi-annual notice of proposed and new regulations state agencies will be considering in the next six months in the February 11 PA Bulletin, including regulations for DEP, DCNR, Agriculture and other agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction.  (PA Bulletin page 879)

Friday NewsClips

County Commissioners Face Decision On Drilling Fee
Mapping PA Counties' Impact Fee Money
Optional Drilling Fee Could Pull In $40 Million
Range Resources, Lawmakers Respond To Marcellus Bill
Mixed Bag Out Of PA On Fracking Chemical Disclosure
DEP Secretary Answers Questions On Marcellus Drilling
U.S. Energy Czar Touts Natural Gas During Visit
DEP Fines Chesapeake $565,000
Driller Fined $565,000 For 3 Releases In Northern Tier
Bradford Blow-Out Costs Chesapeake Energy More Than $250K
Sewage Plant Will Generate Biofuel, Clean Water
PA-Based NASCAR Team Takes Earth-Friendly Steps
Pitt To Receive $22 Million For Energy Research
Feds OK First New Nuclear Reactors In 30 Years
DEP Fines Engineering Firm $10,000 For Radiation Violations
DEP Fines Veterinary Hospital, Dentist For X-Ray Violations
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Thursday NewsClips

House Sends Drilling Fee Bill To Governor's Desk
House Votes To Send Shale Drilling Fee To Corbett
House Sends Gas Drilling Bill To Corbett's Desk
House Approves Marcellus Shale Bill
Natural Gas Impact Fee Bill Headed To Corbett's Desk
Impact Fee Bill Wins Final Approval
Corbett Praises Impact Fee Vote
Impact Fee Can Provide Money For Ethane Cracker
What Happens Now After Passing Marcellus Bill
Drilling Violations Dropped In 2011
Drillers Cited For 3,300 Violations Over 4 Years
Marcellus Coalition Talks About Chemical Disclosure, Drilling Fees
PUC Plans Expanded Oversight On Natural Gas Pipelines
Sierra Club Faces Gas Cash Fallout
Corbett's Budget Would Cut DEP Spending
Turzai Pitches Bill To Limit Capital Budget Spending
Erie Projects Earn Growing Greener Grants
Power Plant Owner Seeks Comment On Shoreline Strategy
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips

Fresh Marcellus Shale Bill NewsClips

House Sends Drilling Fee Bill To Governor's Desk
House Votes To Send Shale Drilling Fee To Corbett
House Sends Gas Drilling Bill To Corbett's Desk
Compromise Marcellus Shale Bill Goes To Corbett
Impact Fee Can Provide Money For Ethane Cracker

6 Environmental Groups Decry Passage Of Marcellus Shale Bill

Clean Water Action, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Earthworks, PennEnvironment, and the PA Chapter-Sierra Club decried the lack of concern for communities, health and property in passing Marcellus Shale legislation-- House Bill 1950.

            All the groups are outspoken opponents of drilling in the state.  (Note: The 350 member Growing Greener Coalition supports the funding provisions in the bill.)
            The statement by the six groups said:

            Tuesday in the Senate and today in the House, the Pennsylvania legislature voted in favor of House Bill 1950, a compromise gas development bill that was hammered out behind closed doors under the heavy hand of Gov. Tom Corbett. 

            Under the guise of providing “impact fees” to municipalities where gas operations occur, the legislature effectively supported a takeover of municipalities by the State and the gas industry by gutting established and effective local planning and zoning rights.

            (Note: The County Commissioners Association of PA and the PA Association of Township Supervisors supported House Bill 1950.)

            Through provisions contained in the bill, municipalities will no longer be able to play a central, critical role in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of residents and determining which uses of land are most beneficial. 

            The bill requires that all types of oil and gas operations (except for natural gas processing plants)—unlike any other commercial or industrial business—be allowed in all zoning districts, even in residential neighborhoods and near schools, parks, hospitals, and sensitive natural and cultural resource protection areas.

            As a result, people could be forced to live only 300 feet away from a gas well, open frack waste pit, or pipeline, despite growing evidence that such development causes pollution, damages health, and lowers property values. 

            The bill also mandates a one-size-fits-all ordinance that supersedes all existing ordinances and prevents municipalities from adopting any zoning provisions that are stricter than the weak, mandated standards. 

            “The PA Legislature has let the gas industry take over, despite the terrible consequences that drilling is having in communities across the Commonwealth. This so-called impact fee bill brings no net fiscal gain to Pennsylvania residents; it robs us of the ability to protect what is most locally valuable—our health, safety, and resources—and gives gas operators the right to run all over our communities. This is unjust and exposes the true allegiances of the Bill’s supporters—self-interested gas developers and their backers,” said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper.

            “Today, many legislators and Gov. Corbett told Pennsylvania residents that protecting their health and rights matters far less to them than the gas industry’s demands,” said Nadia Steinzor, Marcellus Regional Organizer for Earthworks’ Oil and Gas Accountability Project. “They and other supporters of this bill turned a blind eye on the widespread damage caused by drilling and a deaf ear to calls from citizens for change, while doing the bidding of companies that want to drill anywhere, anytime.”

            “If legislators were looking to pass a proposal that will allow more gas drilling near people’s homes, and the parks, playgrounds and schools where our children play and spend their days, then ‘Mission Accomplished,’” said Erika Staaf of PennEnvironment. “Sadly, this is just one more case of powerful interests dominating the political process, and the lack of leadership on both sides of the aisle to do anything about it.”

            “A poorly-regulated gas industry will be able to drill in residential neighborhoods, bringing thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals, thousands of tractor trailers, round the clock noisy, polluting drilling, all as little as a football field away from homes, day care centers, and playgrounds,” said Jeff Schmidt, Director of Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania Chapter. “The legislators who voted in favor of HB 1950 have abandoned any pretense that they are acting in the public interest. We will make sure the public knows who sided with the drillers and who sided with citizens when they go to the polls for this year’s elections.” 

            “This bill represents a huge step backwards in protection for Pennsylvania towns and the environment,” said Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action. “The state override of local zoning ordinances will greatly increase the threats to communities from all aspects of gas extraction. Never before has one industry been given full rights to do as they please, without recognizing the needs of other businesses, residents, and our environment. 2012 is an election year, and we will be devoting our energy to ensuring that the voters of Pennsylvania are aware of which legislators voted to give away our control over an industry that has contaminated our air, land, and water.”

            “The legislators who voted for House Bill 1950 made a short-sighted decision that puts the health and safety of Pennsylvania’s communities at risk,” said Josh McNeil, Executive Director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “They voted against the interests of their constituents and should expect those constituents to return the favor in the November election.”

350 Member Growing Greener Coalition Commends Funding In Marcellus Shale Bill

The Renew Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and environmental organizations in the Commonwealth, Wednesday issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath, commending the Growing Greener funding contained within House Bill 1950, which passed Wednesday. 

            “The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is pleased with the passage of House Bill 1950 due to the environmental funding and commends the leadership of the General Assembly, legislators, and the Governor for taking the first step toward renewing funding for the Environmental Stewardship Fund and Growing Greener programs and projects.  

            “While this bill may not be perfect, it makes critical investments in stormwater management and programs to protect our drinking water, preserve farmland and open space, enhance our recreational opportunities, support our heritage areas, and stimulate our local and regional economies.” 

            Growing Greener is a bipartisan program established in 1999 under Gov. Tom Ridge and later expanded by Governors Schweiker and Rendell. Since its establishment, Growing Greener has created a legacy of success, preserving more than 107,000 acres of Pennsylvania’s family farmland, conserving more than 42,300 acres of threatened open space, adding 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and restoring over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands.  

            Moreover, Growing Greener has contributed and leveraged billions of dollars to the Pennsylvania economy by helping to boost tourism, create jobs and generate revenue. 

            Yet despite the program’s accomplishments, funding for Growing Greener projects and grants fell from an average of approximately $150 million per year for the last six years to $27.3 million in the current state budget, over an 80 percent reduction.

            The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and environmental organizations in the Commonwealth, representing nearly 350 organizations and government entities from across the state.

            More than 140 government entities, including 32 counties, representing more than seven million Pennsylvanians, have passed resolutions calling for a dedicated source of funding for the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund.

            For more information on the Coalition website.