A Blow To PA Conservationists On Public Land Drilling
By Pat Loeb
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) --- Environmentalists are promising to appeal a Commonwealth Court ruling that gives the state unlimited power to lease public land for gas drilling, with no controls on how the lease money is spent.
The Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) sued to halt any additional leases in state parks and forests, and to make sure proceeds from current leases were put into mitigating the impacts of drilling.
The Commonwealth Court ruled on Wednesday that the state can lease more public land to gas drillers, and the legislature can use the lease money any way they want. The Corbett administration called the Commonwealth Court decision, "a resounding win."
Attorney John Childe with the PEDF says there are already 700,000 acres under lease and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is already hard-pressed to repair damage from drilling.
"DCNR has issued a report establishing a long list of impacts that are already occurring in those leased areas, and only 20% of the leases have actually been developed," Childe says.
Among the impacts DCNR found were the incursion of invasive species of plants and bugs in drilling areas and a loss of forest and wilderness areas. "Our natural resources are in very serious jeopardy," says Childe.
Childe says Commonwealth Court did not address constitutional issues he raised, and that will be the basis of the appeal.
He says he's planning on taking the case to the Supreme Court, but it may be a moot point. Governor-elect Tom Wolf says he favors a moratorium on drilling in public lands.