Dear
Help Protect PA from Marcellus Shale Drilling! |
A few weeks ago, we kicked off our campaign to adopt laws to protect Pennsylvania from Marcellus gas drilling with a well-attended Lobby Day at the Capitol.
Many legislators heard our message directly from their constituents. Now, we need your help to reinforce these messages!
The Marcellus drilling boom has imposed heavy costs on our state's environment. This includes the polluting of our air and drinking water supplies, pipelines defaceing our forests and natural areas, heavy rigs damaging our roads, and the taking of billions of gallons of water from our streams and rivers.
Before this legislative session ends, we are demanding that the Pennsylvania Legislature enact the following:
- Enact a severance tax comparable to West Virginia's and provide for funding for communities impacted by gas drilling and for environmental conservation (such as SB 1155).
- Reform the Oil and Gas Act to require mandatory inspections, require disclosure of fracking chemicals, extend the presumption of pollution, require adequate bonds, and protect municipal zoning authority (HB2213).
- Forbid more gas leases on public lands in Pennsylvania until a full cumulative analysis can be conducted on the impacts of existing leasing of public lands (HB2235).
- Enact a moratorium on Marcellus gas permits until state government enacts laws and regulations to make Marcellus gas well drilling safe and environmentally sound (HB2609; SB1447).
- Block efforts to compel landowners into "forced pooling" arrangements.
We have very little time to act. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn in mid-October. Unless the Pennsylvania legislature acts now, citizens will suffer more reckless environmental degradation.
Sincerely,
Jeff Schmidt
Director
Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
P.S. We need as many people as possible to speak out against this dangerous and destructive practice. Please tell your friends and family about this important issue. You can also spread the word by posting this alert to your Facebook and Twitter pages. It is easy, with these handy links: