PA: Rendell Signs Executive Order Halting Natural Gas Drilling

[phantom power]

HARRISBURG (CBS) – Still seething over the breakdown of negotiations to impose a tax on the natural gas drilling industry, Governor Rendell signed an executive order Tuesday that will put the brakes on future drilling on state forest land in the gas-rich “Marcellus Shale” formation.

Senate Republicans have vowed not to return after the election to consider a natural gas drilling tax, saying lame duck lawmakers should not make major policy decisions at a time when they are less accountable to voters.

But Governor Rendell said again on Monday that they should come back, “It is absolutely irresponsible for them to do what they did on Marcellus Shale. It is also a violation of the promise that they made to the people of Pennsylvania.”

The governor signed what’s being billed as an executive order, “instituting a strategic moratorium on future drilling operations in the state.” Rendell claims the move is not an effort to pressure Senate Republicans to resume negotiations on a tax.

It should also be noted that Rendell has less than three months remaining in office and the next governor can change the order.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2010/10/26/rendell-to-sign-executive-order-haulting-natural-gas-drilling/

[babydollhead]

1. good

[RamboLiberal]

5. Won't mean squat

Corbett is probably going to win the election & will allow the drillers to run rampant in my state. And bought & paid for by the gas companies Corbett & the legislator will make us about the only state too stupid to even tax them.

PA rivers and watersheds will regress back to being like the time we had steel mills & coal mines heavily polluting our waters.

[DCKit]

2. Anyone who's seen "Gasland" wouldn't want fracking anywhere within 100 miles.

Once your water is ruined, what have you got left?

[Glassunion]

3. At least you can run the lawnmower on your tap water. nt

[Kolesar]

4. The gas companies extort the aggrieved homeowners with the promise of a water supply

...if they take the settlement and don't talk to the press/media.

[ishaneferguson]

6. Just Like Coal Companies

... in the Scranton-Wilkes Barre and Fayette County parts of PA.