Gas Drilling Vote Cancelled: Delaware Governor to Vote No

Trenton, NJ:  The November 21, 2011 vote to be held at the Trenton War Memorial by the Delaware River Basin Commission has been cancelled according to sources.  The vote was to seek approval of regulations that would have allowed shale gas drilling in the Delaware River Basin by the beginning of 2012.  The last minute cancellation is the second time this vote has been put off.  And this time is believed to be in response to an announcement by the Governor of Delaware that he would vote against the regulatory/drilling proposal.

Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum praised Governor Markell.  “Governor Markell has listened to the will of the people, to the science and to the tremendous environmental and community harm being caused by gas drilling where it is happening.   The issue of shale gas drilling has finally moved out of the political arena and is now being treated as an issue of genuine public policy concern,” said Delaware Riverkeeper van Rossum.

Read the remainder of the press release in full by clicking HERE.

Obama's Enthusiasm for Gas Drilling Raises Eyebrows

[This article was originally posted on nytimes.com on 11.4.2010]

By MIKE SORAGHAN of Greenwire

President Obama's newfound interest in expanded natural gas drilling yesterday surprised many on all sides of the drilling debate, from environmentalists to drillers and even the coal industry.

"Representatives of drilling groups said they had no idea that Obama would make natural gas his lead olive branch to the newly empowered Capitol Hill Republicans. But they were pleased that he did.

"I was surprised by the venue," said Chris Tucker, spokesman for Energy In Depth, a drilling industry group formed to fight off federal regulation of shale gas drilling.

Obama's remarks seemed to refer to vast new sources of shale gas in Pennsylvania, Texas and their neighboring states. Improvements in "hydraulic fracturing" technology have allowed production from formations under those states previously thought to be too expensive to exploit (E&ENews PM, Nov. 3).

"We've got, I think, broad agreement that we've got terrific natural gas resources in this country," Obama said when he was pressed for issues on which he could compromise with Republican leaders. "Are we doing everything we can to develop those?"

Tucker said Obama's remarks were in line with the actions of some of his Cabinet departments.

"The president's remarks yesterday fit perfectly with a State Department that is actively looking to export the shale revolution globally, an Energy Department that views shale as a fuel with enormous potential for our future and an EPA that has consistently stated that the technology needed to produce shale gas is safe," Tucker said.

Another gas group, America's Natural Gas Alliance, called Obama's remarks "And they were his strongest public comments to date in support of natural gas."

But not everyone sees gas drilling as so "terrific." Environmentalists are worried that the "hydraulic fracturing" technology used to pry loose the gas could contaminate drinking water."

To read the remainder of the article in its entirety--including the mystery of why the topic of natural gas drilling even arose at this press conference, please click HERE.

Self-imposed Oct. 1 deadline for gas tax bill looming

Why don’t legislators simply pass a tax on natural gas drilling in Marcellus Shale?  

"That was the question posed to Rep. Garth Everett, R-Lycoming, at a recent meeting in his district sponsored by Trout Unlimited.  With only five days left until the legislators’ self-imposed Oct. 1 deadline and no clear movement toward passing a bill, the question is one being asked by many around the state.

“The important stuff we do is rarely simple,” said Everett.

In the course of crafting the 2010-11 state budget in June, lawmakers agreed to impose a tax on drilling in the Marcellus Shale, which is thought to be one of the world’s largest deposits of natural gas.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati’s office has held talks throughout the summer with both the industry and environmental interests and is prepared to make good on the promise to enact a tax this session, but tax legislation must originate in the House of Representatives.

Rep. David Levdansky, D-Allegheny, has been working on a natural gas tax for two years. “I think this is a once-in-a-career opportunity to make a real difference,” he said. “In my 26 years here, I think this is the best opportunity we have to put in dedicated funding for conservation and environmental protection programs.”

Passing a tax is possible “if we receive bipartisan support,” said Levdansky. “I think next week is do or die.”

Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Minority Leader Sam Smith, said, “The caucus is not telling anybody how to vote. ... It’s a member-by-member thing. Each member is going to weigh it on their own.”

Even Gov. Ed Rendell has expressed skepticism a tax will get passed.

House Democratic spokesman Brett Marcy said, “For the most part, we are united in our determination to get this done.” But they have been in “constant discussions” about the best method of distributing the revenue generated by a tax.

The question isn’t just the rate of tax, but what to do with the money. Leaders on both sides of the aisle have said they think some of the revenue should go to environmental programs, but which ones and in what proportion is a big question. The governor and House leaders want a majority of the revenue to go into the state’s General Fund. Rank-and-file members on both sides appear to prefer the lion’s share go instead toward environmental programs, infrastructure investments and local municipalities.

Along the northern tier, where drilling is transforming both the landscape and economy, Republican lawmakers say the time for a tax hasn’t come. “Who would have believed the counties in the northern tier would be leading the state in jobs created and lowest unemployment,” said Rep. Matt Baker, R-Tioga. “We need to revitalize the economy and create jobs, which all of this is doing right now. Maybe there’s a time and place for a competitive, modest tax, but I don’t think it’s now.”

To read the remainder of Donald Gilliland's article in The Patriot-News, click HERE (as it appeared 9.25.2010).

Response to industry & PAC attacks on GASLAND

If you haven't already done so, click HERE and take the time to read the response to the recent attacks on the documentary GASLAND.  With good reason, it's admittedly lengthy:  it's full of meticulously documented facts.  The final 3 pages are a listing of references--*with* web addresses so that the curious or dubious might verify the facts set out in this report.  It will be interesting to see how the industry/PACs respond.

Now is the time: make your voice heard on the FRAC Act

Support the FRAC ACT!  As Josh Fox of Gasland writes, "crucial pieces of legislation that would force companies to disclose the chemicals used in fracking will be decided in the next two-three weeks."  If you haven't done so, it's extremely important that you let your legislators know where you stand.  To read about the FRAC act, see the information on bill co-author Senator Casey's site.

To find your legislator or his/her contact information, click on the appropriate links along the right sidebar of the Protect the Endless Mountains blog.

Our elected officials need to hear from you!

Pick up the phone! Start up that email!

At a time when PA is attempting to balance the state's budget by leasing out our state parks and forests to drilling, they're also proposing to slash the budget of the organization that oversees said drilling (see following article).  The DEP is *already* understaffed and with the amount of current and future wells being drilled, they need *more* funding, NOT less.  The oil and gas industry does not want federal oversight and thus far they've had enough money and clout to get their wish.  The only people charged with making sure the industry abides by the rules....is the DEP.  So unless the goal is to hand the keys over to the drilling companies, it behooves every single one of us to either pick up the phone or email our legislators to voice our profound displeasure at this latest course of events.  Links to contact your senators/representatives can be found both on the Endless Mountains blog along the right sidebar under "Local Info" or on our facebook page under the "Local Info" tab.

Please take a moment out of your day to do this.  EVERY voice counts.


State budget continues to slash Environmental Protection; Over 1/3 of DEP budget cut over two years.

(Harrisburg) – Clean Water Action issued a strong statement today calling for restoration of large cuts to the budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proposed state budget deal released yesterday by the Governor and legislative leaders cuts DEP’s budget by 9.2%. This is on top of last year’s budget cut of 26% for DEP. [ATTACHED - PDF of 2000-2008 budgets in actual numbers, not accounting for inflation]


Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action stated, “I don’t see how any legislator can pretend that the DEP can do what they are required to do with this level of funding. Lawmakers that support protecting Pennsylvanians from air and water pollution need to stop this year’s budget cut, and restore funding cut last year.”

Noting that Pennsylvania is currently experiencing a boom in natural gas drilling, Arnowitt continued, “The state is giving out 5,000 new Marcellus Shale gas drilling permits this year alone. This is an industry that is notorious for its lack of controls on both air pollution and water pollution. It is the height of irresponsibility to continue handing out permits while decimating the one agency that has any oversight on gas drilling.”

Despite the new budget cuts to DEP proposed for this year’s budget, overall state spending is increasing 0.6% to $28 billion a year. DEP’s portion of the state budget represents only ½ of one percent of the total budget (o.5%).

Brady Russell, Eastern PA Director for Clean Water Action stated, “Even before this round of budget cuts, there has been a steady decline in state support for DEP over the past ten years. If this year’s cuts go through, the state will be giving DEP almost 60% less than they did in the 2000 – 2001 budget.”

Although legislative leaders have agreed to enact some level of severance tax on natural gas extraction in the fall, no dollars have been allocated to any environmental protection programs in this year’s budget. “If the state legislature refuses to use general funds to support DEP’s budget, it must direct a portion of the severance tax to restore DEP’s budget to reasonable levels,” asserted Arnowitt.

***

Clean Water Action is an organization of 1.2 million members working to empower people to take action to protect America's waters, build healthy communities and to make democracy work for all of us. For 36 years Clean Water Action has succeeded in winning some of the nation's most important environmental protections through grassroots organizing, expert policy research and political advocacy focused on holding elected officials accountable to the public.

Click HERE to access this original post as it appeared today on Young Philly Politics.