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Pr otecting Communities and Special Places
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e-Newsletter June 14, 2013
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"This is not just a contamination (due to) fracking,
but this is a contamination of our government."
~ Josh Fox
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DCNR Secretary Allan Forced to Resign
In a surprise turn of events on Thursday, Governor Tom Corbett asked for the resignation of Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan. With no official explanation immediately offered, many theories arose throughout the day. Read a report here.
RDA Board President Robert Cross provided the following response to Secretary Allan's resignation:
The forced resignation of Richard J. Allan as Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary may provide an opportunity for the Corbett Administration to take a more protective position toward significant parts of the Loyalsock State Forest. Former Secretary Allan, whose name doesn't belong in the same sentence with "conservation", seems to have ignored Article 1, Section 27 of Pennsylvania's Constitution that states, "Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people including generations yet to come."
These natural resources are not, one might conclude from reading this, the property of multinational gas companies. Of course, Governor Corbett did not hire Allan, who came to this position from the scrap metal industry, for his ability to conserve and administer public lands. Let's hope that the recent pressure provided by RDA and a host of other environmental groups leads the Corbett administration and his new Acting Secretary, Ellen Ferretti, to do what our constitution mandates with an eye toward the Loyalsock State Forest and, in fact, all our state forest lands.
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Keep it Wild!
June 29 at 1 p.m.
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TAKE ACTION!
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Rally in Lancaster
Tell PA Dems, "STOP FRACKING NOW!"
PA STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE MEETING
Lancaster Convention Center, June 14 & 15
Concerned residents from across the state will converge in Lancaster at this weekend's
Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee meeting to tell committee members to support a moratorium on fracking.
 Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/16/3400928/senate-committee-backs-epa-nominee.html#story
Read here for more information
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Rally in Harrisburg
Join Clean Water Action and Gas Truth of Central PA as they rally with Josh Fox, Director of Gasland and Gasland II. The Rally will be held in conjunction with Clean Water Action's annual Lobby Day.
June 18 at Noon
PA State Capitol
Harrisburg
To register for the annual Lobby Day, click hereFor more information, call Nathan Sooy 717.233.1801
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/16/3400928/senate-committee-backs-epa-nominee.html#story
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Pennsylvania Call-In
Action Day
June 25, 2013
all-dayStop the Frack Attack is holding a grass roots call-in day throughout Pa. targeted
at the Governor to demand that his environmental agency protect the public and the environment and that he appoint an agency head who is qualified and dedicated to the public, not the gas industry.For more information, look here
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IN THE NEWS
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Corbett to Speak at PA Natural Gas Summit
Two More Opinions
on the
Loyalsock State Forest
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Shale Economics
Food for thought for Pennsylvania citizens are the situations outlined as only Deborah Rogers can do in these Energy Policy Forum posts on the state of affairs in the Eagle Ford Shale.
Read part one here and part two here
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Contact us for details.
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Join RDA and Josh Fox for a screening of Gasland II on Wednesday, June 19, at the Community Arts Center in Williamsport. Admission is free!
Fox said this about his movie in a Timesonline.com interview:
"Gasland II is really about, OK, well, we have the most controversial environmental issue in the last 10 years, we have fracking being a household word, we have horror stories from across the nation of what's happening and widespread effects of contamination and air pollution from drilling. Why hasn't the government done anything? So the investigation this time around is of the government and of our regulatory agencies -- at the state and federal level."
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Keep it Wild with RDA at the McIntyre Wild Area
Saturday, June 29 at 1 p.m.
Forget the yard work and take an afternoon off to relax in the peaceful beauty of the Loyalsock State Forest. Gather at Band Rock to hike, explore the area, or just kick back and listen to music by Doug McMinn.  | |
View at Band Rock IMAGE: Jim Slotterback
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A Royalty Pain By Ralph Kisberg
Once again the state Senator from the heart of shale gas country, Gene Yaw, Chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, proves he favors the gas industry over protection of the rights of his own constituents.
It has been in the news lately that due to a couple of unscrupulous well operators, some Bradford County landowners are only receiving royalties of two or three percent instead of the twelve and a half percent state minimum royalty rate in their lease.The Bradford County commissioners recently passed a resolution asking the legislature to address deductions taken out of royalty checks, to which Senator Yaw responded in e-mail to the Towanda Daily Review:
"It is important to understand that under the Pennsylvania Constitution and the United States Constitution, a legislature cannot change the terms of an existing contract (lease) ... if a legislature could change an existing contract, there would be no stability whatsoever in the business world." (Read the full article here)
The Bradford County Commissioners issued a response making the argument that Yaw's position "is based upon a simplistic reading of the constitutional prohibitions against impairment of contracts by the government ..." Their statement went on to say:
"(In1983), the United States Supreme Court recognized that this prohibition is not absolute and that it must be balanced against a state's interest to 'safeguard the vital interests of its people.' The Supreme Court ... also noted that highly regulated industries have less ability to object to future regulation impacting contracts ...
Bradford County is only asking the General Assembly to pursue a course of action to safeguard the vital interests of the citizens of the Commonwealth ... We are not looking to argue with our State Representatives on the legal technicalities, we are asking them to help their citizens solve a problem that the legislature created and has a serious financial impact on the residents, the local, county, and state revenues ... Bradford County is asking the legislature to ... work with the energy industry on the issue of post-production costs and their impact on royalties received by landowners." (Read the full article here)
Senator Yaw's attitude is similar to that of the Corbett Administration in the case of the Clarence Moore lands in the Loyalsock State Forest. In both cases, the representatives of the people of the Commonwealth either lack the imagination, the drive, the skill or the guts to fight for our rights over those of the industry - or they are in the industry's pocket. What else can you conclude? The realization is that the philosophical biases of these people, combined with their intellectual laziness, prevents them from seeing a plausible attempt at a solution that has been handed to them, which they refuse to employ.
Watch the video for an explanation of the royalty issue.
 | | Gas Drilling Royalties |
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Stories from the 'Sock by Ann Pinca
Those of us lucky enough to have visited the Loyalsock State Forest undoubtedly have favorite places, fond memories, or a good story to tell.
My first visit to the Loyalsock was eighteen years ago, when I took my very first backpacking trip on the Old Loggers Path. What an amazing experience
for my three companions and me! Whether it was sitting with my hot feet in the delightfully cold water of Rock Run, finding my first "wild" rattlesnake, or enjoying the view from Sharp Top after our wicked ascent through stinging nettles and overgrown briar bushes, those three days contained a magic unmatched by anything else I ever experienced. Returning to "real life" was hard after those three days in the forest - I much preferred the wilds of Pennsylvania to my suburban home. What's your story from the Loyalsock State Forest? Let's keep it wild by sharing our adventures in the Loyalsock! Send your stories, favorite memories, or favorite places to: keepitwildrda@gmail.com No need to be fancy, a few lines are fine; just please keep stories to 500 words or less - photos are welcome! (Please note in your message if you wish to have your name included with your story or prefer to remain anonymous.) I'm sure there are some great stories to be shared - can't wait to hear yours!
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What will she remember from her day in the Loyalsock?
IMAGE: Richard Karp
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RDA Joins With Organizations to Send Letter
Concerning the Loyalsock State Forest
RDA joined with several other organizations this week to send a letter to Governor Tom Corbett, the now former Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan, and Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection E. Christopher Abruzzo concerning drilling in the Loyalsock State Forest. Collectively representing over 100,000 Pennsylvania citizens, the organizations are calling for Governor Corbett to make public Anadarko Petroleum Corporation's plans to drill in the Clarence Moore lands of the Loyalsock State Forest in Lycoming County. The coalition is calling for the public release of the proposal, a ninety-day comment period, and statewide public hearings.
The 25,621-acre Clarence Moore lands are home to extraordinary natural and recreational resources including the Exceptional Value watersheds of Rock Run and Pleasant Stream, the Old Loggers Path hiking trail and a National Audubon Society-designated Important Bird Area. Because of unique legal circumstances, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has unusual power to prevent surface disturbance in most, if not all, of this significant public wild area.
To date, the DCNR has held one public meeting on potential gas drilling in this area, describing the meeting as "the completion" of its interactions with the public. The coalition of organizations insists that these public lands belong to all citizens of the Commonwealth and therefore merit a transparent public process concerning any plans for shale gas drilling.
The letter was signed by leadership from: Responsible Drilling Alliance; PennFuture; Pennsylvania Forest Coalition; Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Chapter; Keystone Trails Association; PennEnvironment; League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania; Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association; Audubon Pennsylvania and Lycoming Audubon; Pennsylvania Division Izaak Walton League; Shale Justice Coalition; and Organizations United for the Environment. Read the letter here |
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RDA Newsletter
Ann Pinca, managing editor
Ted Stroter, RDA Board of Directors editor
Ralph Kisberg, contributing editor
Robbie Cross, President - RDA Board of Directors
Jenni Slotterback, Secretary - RDA Board of Directors
Barb Jarmoska, Treasurer - RDA Board of Directors
Mark Szybist - RDA Board of Directors
Kevin Heatley - RDA Board of Directors
Roscoe McCloskey - RDA Board of Directors This weekly e-letter is written and designed by the RDA consultants and Board of Directors and sent to RDA members/subscribers. Every effort is made to assure complete accuracy in each issue. This publication and the information contained herein is copyrighted by RDA and Ann Pinca and may not be reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. Readers are invited to forward this newsletter in its entirety to broaden the scope of its outreach. Readers are also invited to comment to the managing editor regarding contents and to submit articles to be considered for publication in a future issue.
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Donations may also be sent by mail to: Responsible Drilling Alliance, P.O. Box 502, Williamsport, PA 17703
Thank you for your support!
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