As he settles into office, Governor Wolf is making some good moves to follow through on his campaign promises and his commitment to transparency.
This week, our new governor declared a moratorium on leasing additional state lands to the natural gas industry. The original moratorium was imposed during the Rendell Administration in 2010 after it was determined that additional leasing couldn't be done without compromising the natural character of our state forests. Corbett ended the moratorium last May. Click here to read more. You may thank Governor Wolf by writing to [email protected].
While we are thankful for this moratorium, we also need to remember that over 750,000 acres of state land has already been leased for gas drilling. In his first week in office, the Wolf administration permitted 22 shale gas wells for five counties in just three days from January 21-23. RDA believes that NO NEW PERMITS for HVHF should be issued based on existing evidence of harm and the need to apply the precautionary principal.
Wolf appointed two noteworthy officials to head the state's environmental organizations: Cindy Dunn will lead the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and John Quigley will run the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Cindy Dunn formerly served as deputy secretary of DCNR under both the Rendell and Corbett administrations, and most recently was President and CEO of PennFuture, a professional advocacy group for strong environmental and public health policies. Dunn holds a master's in biology from Shippensburg University.
Dunn said "I think [Wolf] has got the right ideas about using Pennsylvania's natural assets -- its mountains, its rivers, its forest lands -- to really raise the economy and quality of life in Pennsylvania."
Dunn also wrote a personal email to one of our board members stating "As secretary of DCNR, I'll continue the mission to conserve and protect Pennsylvania's state parks and state forests and work to excite citizens and communities about the outdoors." She also mentioned that she looks forward to working with us in her new role.
Governor Wolf's newly declared moratorium on leasing of public lands has no impact on the Clarence Moore tract in the Loyalsock State Forest. The mineral rights to the 28,000 acres are owned outright by the gas industry, making these treasured woodlands and wetlands in northern Lycoming County a "split estate."
RDA has written a detailed, 4-page letter to Secretary Dunn, urging DCNR to protect the Clarence Moore lands, something we believe DCNR has both the legal authority and the obligation to do. An excerpt from the letter follows:
As you well know, our most valuable remaining PA wilds are at risk of industrialization and action by the DCNR is needed to protect these invaluable resources...
Until DCNR exhausts all viable legal strategies to prevent gas development in the Loyalsock State Forest's Clarence Moore lands, (including full use of the agency's right to control surface activity) we respectfully request that you refrain from entering into a Surface Disturbance Management Agreement with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Southwestern Exploration and Production Company for development of this tract.
Although the Commonwealth does not own the gas rights there, the unique division of property rights in the Clarence Moore lands gives the Commonwealth the opportunity to protect a cherished parcel of state forest from impacts of unconventional gas development.
We ask that DCNR use every means possible, through negotiation - or if necessary, litigation - to craft a solution that protects a rare interior forest area treasured for its ecological, recreational, historical and cultural values, while preserving the gas owners' ability to exercise their rights.
As you know, Pennsylvania's conservation leaders agree that the Clarence Moore lands are worthy of protection, we believe the staff of the DCNR agrees, too. Protecting the Clarence Moore lands would be a landmark conservation achievement for the Wolf administration in its first year.
Click here to view RDA's complete letter to Cindy Dunn.
Wolf's other environmental appointee, John Quigley, previously worked at DCNR for 6 years in a variety of capacities, most recently as DCNR secretary from 2009-2011 under Governor Rendell. An economics graduate of Bloomsburg University with a master's in public administration from Lehigh University, Quigley also served as Mayor of the city of Hazleton for 8 years.
"The key test and the key challenge I think is to find the balance between economic growth and all of the benefits that the shale gas boom offers Pennsylvania, and environmental protection and public health protection," Quigley said.
Regarding administration transparency, Wolf signed two important executive orders into action during his first week as Governor: one for full disclosure and regulation of gifts to political appointees, and another to assure a fair bidding process for obtaining legal services.
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Wolf signing Executive Orders. Photo credit: Sean Simmers, Pennlive.com |
The "Executive branch employee gift ban" states that "such confidence in the integrity of the government demands that significant contact between Commonwealth Executive Employees and special interests, lobbyists and those who employ lobbyists seeking to influence the decisions and administrative actions of such employees, be regulated and publicly disclosed."
The other for the "Competitive process for procurement of legal services" states that "Procuring legal services through a competitive procurement process wherever possible will provide greater assurance that legal expenditures are efficiently utilized, will result in a more transparent selection process, and will enhance public perception that the process is fair and not influenced by political or other improper considerations."
Click here to see both executive orders in their entirety.
Along with signing the executive orders, Governor Wolf also scheduled a class for appointees on transparency in government. Terry Mutchler, founder of the state's Office of Open Records, lead the class intended to train Wolf and his Cabinet members on the state's Right to Know Law. Mutchler said this is "the first administration that sought transparency training right out of the gate." She then went on to tell Jen Murphy of Pennlive "As an expert on transparency, to me, that signals for this governor that transparency is more than a policy on paper. It's going to be practiced." She also mentioned repeatedly offering to train former Governors Rendell, Corbett and their Cabinet members on the law, but only received the opportunity to train their lawyers.