08/05/24 - 134 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/2ftnnnut
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Renew Growing Greener Coalition Applauds Rep. Quinn On Marcellus Fee Bill
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The Renew Growing Greener Coalition this week commended Rep. Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks) for proposing Marcellus Shale local impact fee legislation-- House Bill 1700-- that includes funding for the state’s Growing Greener program through the Environmental Stewardship Fund. Coalition Executive Director Andrew Heath issued the following statement: “The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is pleased with legislation proposed by Rep. Quinn that provides dedicated funding for the state’s Growing Greener program through the Environmental Stewardship Fund and also takes care of our conservation districts, which are our first line of defense for our waterways.
“Rep. Quinn’s legislation gets back to basics and is a simple, common sense approach to addressing the impact of the natural gas industry on local communities and our natural resources.
“By establishing a fair and reasonable fee based on well construction rather than production or market rates, Rep. Quinn has put forth a plan that we believe the Governor can support while keeping his promise not to raise taxes.
“The Renew Growing Greener Coalition supports Rep. Quinn’s efforts to restore funding to protect and preserve our environment for future generations.”
Growing Greener is a bipartisan program established in 1999 under Gov. Tom Ridge and later expanded by Governors Schweiker and Rendell. Since its establishment, Growing Greener has created a legacy of success, preserving more than 33,700 acres of Pennsylvania’s family farmland, conserving more than 42,300 acres of threatened open space, adding 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and restoring over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands.
In 2002, during the post 9-11 recession, a dedicated source of revenue for Growing Greener was identified in an increase in the state’s “tipping fee,” the fee charged for dumping trash in Pennsylvania’s landfills. Those funds were supplemented by a $625 million bond approved by voters in 2005, called Growing Greener II. Unless action is taken, those funds will be largely exhausted as of June 30th, with most of the Growing Greener I tipping fees going to the debt service on the Growing Greener II bonds.
More than 90 Pennsylvania municipalities and counties have passed resolutions urging the Governor and legislature to renew Growing Greener funding. Counties passing resolutions include: Blair, Cambria, Erie, Fayette, Greene, Indiana Lackawanna, Lawrence, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Philadelphia, Pike, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Washington, Westmoreland, Wyoming and York.
A new poll out this week from Quinnipiac University shows voters support imposition of a Marcellus Shale tax 69 to 24 percent and for the first time regional support tops 60 percent in every region of the state.
The Renew Growing Greener Coalition is the Commonwealth’s largest coalition of conservation, recreation and environmental organizations representing nearly 300 organizations and government entities.
NewsClips: Marcellus Impact Fee Momentum Picking Up
Gas Drilling Fee Proposal Moves Forward In Senate
Marcellus Shale Impact Fee Moves Forward Senate Edges Closer To Shale Gas Driller Fee Shale Impact Fee Bills May Collide With Budget Drilling Impact Fee Bill Goes To Full Senate Senate Panel Revises Drilling Fee Proposal Senate Panel Advances Gas Drilling Fee Editorial: Quinn Bill A Better Fee Plan For Gas Drillers
PA Voters Like Shale Tax: Q Poll Poll: State's Voters Say, Drill Baby Drill Poll: Strong Support For Drilling Impact Fee Looks In Budget Debate |
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6/20/2011 |
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