Support the Legal Challenge to The Marcellus Shale Act!
Act 13 of 2012 stole municipalities’ rights to control zoning of oil and gas operations and it forces gas drilling, pipelines, toxic frack pits and more into neighborhoods and up against community resources like schools, day care centers, and parks.
Act 13 also allows the industry waivers from separation setbacks in the law; with PADEP approval of an undefined “plan”, a gas well can now be drilled within a few feet of your house. And your municipality can’t do anything about it if Act 13 is allowed to stand – they can’t even appeal a drill permit they don’t consider safe. Pennsylvania has truly been taken over by shale gas and their supporters, thanks to the approval of a majority of the Legislature and Governor Tom Corbett, who signed the bill into law in February.
But we can challenge the industry and prevail. Seven municipalities, Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Dr. Mehernosh Kahn filed a legal pleading in Commonwealth Court in March challenging the law as unconstitutional. The gutting of local rights over the zoning of oil and gas operations will endanger public health, natural resources, communities and the environment. In July the Commonwealth Court declared the state-wide zoning provisions of Act 13 unconstitutional, null, void, and unenforceable. The state has appealed this ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; the case will be heard October 17.
Act 13 also allows the industry waivers from separation setbacks in the law; with PADEP approval of an undefined “plan”, a gas well can now be drilled within a few feet of your house. And your municipality can’t do anything about it if Act 13 is allowed to stand – they can’t even appeal a drill permit they don’t consider safe. Pennsylvania has truly been taken over by shale gas and their supporters, thanks to the approval of a majority of the Legislature and Governor Tom Corbett, who signed the bill into law in February.
But we can challenge the industry and prevail. Seven municipalities, Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Dr. Mehernosh Kahn filed a legal pleading in Commonwealth Court in March challenging the law as unconstitutional. The gutting of local rights over the zoning of oil and gas operations will endanger public health, natural resources, communities and the environment. In July the Commonwealth Court declared the state-wide zoning provisions of Act 13 unconstitutional, null, void, and unenforceable. The state has appealed this ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; the case will be heard October 17.
United We Stand! Help Your Municipality Speak to Act 13!
Join in the effort to get resolutions to fight the Shale Gas Takeover Law
ACT NOW! Support the fight against this unconstitutional law!
Visit DelawareRiverkeeper.org for more information.
Tags: Act 13, delaware riverkeeper network, Legal Challange, Marcellus Shale Act
Keep Tap Water Safe 
September 27, 2012 at 11:28 am |
Good post. Here’s something else you can do. Become a member of Trout Unlimited. This organization is fighting the good fight to keep our water resources clean for this and future generations. Visit TU’s site for more information.
September 27, 2012 at 11:30 am |
Thanks! Here’s the link to TU’s site:
http://www.tu.org/