PA Environment Digest Blog: Evangelical Environmental Network: US House-Passed Budget Bill Raises Costs, Increases Health Risks; Eliminates PA’s MERP Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging Funding

On May 23, the Evangelical Environmental Network President and CEO Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman issued the following statement in response to the passage of the budget reconciliation bill by the US House of Representatives--

“As followers of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of God's creation (Genesis 2:15) and seek abundant life for all God’s children (John 10:10).

“That’s why it is troubling to see the House of Representatives advance a tax plan that will raise energy bills and health costs for American families and add trillions to the national debt.

“While the bill makes a step in the right direction for investments in sustainable aviation fuel and next-generation nuclear, it effectively eliminates all other clean energy tax credits for businesses, households, churches, schools, and others.

“These tax credits, which have historically enjoyed bipartisan support, have encouraged innovation that benefits both our environment and economy by creating hundreds of thousands of American jobs and generating more abundant and affordable energy with less harmful impacts on human health.

“Eliminating the clean energy tax credits now will only make the problem of rising household energy costs worse.

“Analysis indicates that, without the tax credits, home electric bills could increase $80 per year on average and up to $150 per year in wind-rich Midwestern states, with the greatest burden falling on lower income families.

“The House tax bill also moves to dismantle the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP)—a step that moves us further from our biblical responsibility to care for creation and defend the health and lives of our children.

“The program’s methane waste emissions charge represented a fiscally sound and cost-effective approach to encourage those who pollute God’s creation to put in place innovations that support cleaner air and healthier communities.

“Together with the rollback of the first increase in royalty rates for leasing public lands for oil and gas production in 100 years, gutting MERP not only jeopardizes our health but also takes billions in critical revenue off the table that could otherwise be used to strengthen our communities and help offset the trillions this bill will add to the national debt.

“We appreciate President Trump’s desire to strengthen America’s economy, energy independence, and health.

“As evangelicals, we share these goals. Unfortunately, the House tax plan does just the opposite.

“As Christians called to defend the health of all God’s children, we urge our leaders to remember that sound fiscal policy means wise stewardship of our air, land, and water for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

“We look forward to working with Senate partners to improve the bill in ways that promote abundant life with abundant clean energy.

“We also pray for wisdom and courage for all our elected officials as they make decisions that shape the world our children will inherit.”

The Evangelical Environmental Network is a ministry whose mission is to inspire, equip, educate, and mobilize evangelical Christians to love God and others by rediscovering and reclaiming the Biblical mandate to care for creation and working toward a stable climate and a healthy, pollution-free world.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 17 to 23 -- Failure To Comply With Shale Well Plugging Order; 28 Months Without 3 Conventional Well Cleanups; 206 Abandoned Conventional Wells; Road Dumping Continues [PaEN]

-- Environmental Hearing Board Agrees There Is ‘Acute’ Danger In CNX Misusing A Deposition In An Appeal Before The Board To ‘Punish’ An Environmental Advocate For Her Advocacy Against CNX [PaEN]

-- Late Night Dumping II: Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Dumping Continues On Roads, This Time With Bigger Trucks; New Research On Harmful Wastewater Impacts [PaEN]

-- PA American Water Begins Construction Of Pipeline To Provide Replacement Water For Dimock Township Residents Who Had Wells Contaminated By Shale Gas Drilling 20 Years Ago In Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 24 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 95 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 24 PA Bulletin [PaEN]