PA Environment Digest

Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) issued the following statement regarding a moratorium on natural gas drilling this week--

From the beginning of the debate over drilling in the Marcellus Shale, my efforts have been devoted to achieving the right balance between economic opportunity and environmental protection. This will naturally disappoint those on either side who believe we must choose one or the other, rather than finding a workable middle ground. Nevertheless, it is the most responsible path in representing a constituency of sharply differing views and interests.

Just as I hear from community activists and environmentalists pressing for a full moratorium on drilling, so do I hear from landowners, workers, and businesses who want drilling to proceed uninterrupted. Just as some want the Susquehanna River Basin Commission granted stronger powers to impede drilling, others want the Delaware River Basin Commission stripped of their authority for doing that. As a practical matter, neither of those things will happen any time soon, because those bodies were constituted long ago by an agreement between states and the federal government.

If there was any chance of imposing a full moratorium, presumably the House of Representatives would have voted for one. They did not. When Representative Mundy recently announced moratorium legislation, she quickly conceded there was no realistic chance of passage.

The difference between views in our area and those in other parts of the state shows up in another key issue. Many who support the imposition of a severance tax now want to use the money for purposes entirely unrelated to the community and environmental protections we believe essential.

We can expect action in areas where I am working daily – approval of stronger state regulations, changes in state law to improve water protection through broader setbacks and more extensive testing, ensuring that emergency plans are in place and emergency responders properly prepared.

As a Commonwealth, we have made a commitment toward encouraging the development and deployment of alternative energy sources. In concept, wind energy is a viable option, renewable and non-polluting. But when it comes time to site wind farms, the opposition can be as passionate as from those who are against gas drilling or nuclear power plants.

At its most extensive, alternative energy will only provide a slice of Pennsylvania's energy needs, even before taking into account rising demand as the economy rebounds and grows.

Gas drilling is not going to disappear. Demand for the product will not suddenly evaporate. So we have a high obligation to maximize protections and minimize risks.

In the weeks ahead, I will continue to be accessible, involved, responsive, and answerable to all the citizens of our area.

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