Groups Urge Governor, House Democratic Leaders To Oppose State Forest Natural Gas Drillilng

30 environmental and sportsmen groups wrote to Gov. Rendell and House Democratic Leaders Rep. McCall and Rep. Eachus to oppose plans to lease 90,000 of State Forest land for drilling to help balance the state budget. Here's the letter--

Dear Gov. Rendell, Rep. Keith McCall and Rep. Todd Eachus:

The undersigned organizations are dismayed by the sacrifice of Pennsylvania’s natural resources as the price of reaching a budget deal this year. We are sorely disappointed that under an Administration that previously had done much good for environmental protection, and with solid bi-partisan majorities in the House of Representatives committed to safeguarding our natural heritage, that we would be witnessing a budget that:
Fails to enact a severance tax on the extraction of natural gas, repeating the mistakes Pennsylvania made with coal in the previous century. If we fail to reinvest in our natural resources when taking from our natural resources, our descendants will be left with a diminished natural inheritance and messes to fix;
Sacrifices the integrity of our state forests by rushing to lease them for drilling, putting the pursuit of revenue ahead of science and responsible forest management;
Repeals the Oil and Gas Lease Fund that for 55 years has provided revenue for protection and sound management of our state forests and parks.
Over the past several years, the environmental and conservation community has gladly worked tirelessly with you to enact landmark environmental legislation including the Growing Greener bond. We have rallied support for your positions. The organizations that are able to provide political support in the form of endorsements have supported you in elections as well as supporting other candidates with strong environmental ethics from both parties to build the bi-partisan majorities we need to pass the legislation that ensures we can bequeath a good environment to our children and grand children.
This budget deal threatens to undo all of the good work of the last several years, and threatens to tarnish the environmental legacy that we together have fought so hard for. These extreme anti-environmental proposals - the short-sighted sacrifice of our public land and the wholesale concessions to the multi-national energy companies that want to drill here – should not be put in front of members of the House and ask them to vote for it. Many in good conscience may not.
You have a fundamental choice to make, and a solution at hand. Enact a severance tax to raise revenues; allow DCNR to manage the public forest in the public interest; and continue the 55-year commitment to the Oil and Gas Lease Fund.
We stand ready to provide full support for you if you make the right choice.

Respectfully,

Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture)
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania
Allegheny Group Sierra Club
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Appalachian Land and Conservation Services
Audubon Pennsylvania
Bucks County Birders
Citizens for Coal Field Justice
Clean Water Action
Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
Friends of Seem Seed Farm
Green Space Alliance
Group Against Smog and Pollution
Heritage Conservancy
Juniata Valley Audubon
Keystone Trails Association
Kiskiminetas Watershed Association
Montgomery County Lands Trust
PennEnvironment
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs
Pennsylvania Forest Coalition
Republicans for Environmental Protection
Pennsylvania Land Trust Association
Pennsylvania Parks and Recreation Society
The Nature Conservancy, Pennsylvania Chapter
Roaring Run Watershed Association
Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
Summit Lake Association for Preservation
United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania