PA Gov. Gives Sweeping Environmental Authority To $184K Campaign Donor, Energy Executive/Stockholder

[hatrack]

Pennsylvania has come under fire lately as pollution from drilling in the Marcellus Shale threatens water resources across the state. But instead of ratcheting up oversight, Gov. Tom Corbett wants to hand authority over some of the state’s most critical environmental decisions to C. Alan Walker, a Pennsylvania energy executive with his own track record of running up against the state’s environmental regulations.

Walker, who has contributed $184,000 to Corbett’s campaign efforts since 2004, is CEO and owner of Bradford Energy Company and Bradford Coal, which was once among Pennsylvania’s largest coal mining companies. He also owns or has an interest in 12 other companies, including a trucking business and a central Pennsylvania oil and gas company.

Walker was Corbett’s first appointee—he chose him to lead the Department of Community and Economic Development in December, before taking office. Now, as Corbett stakes much of the state’s economy on Marcellus Shale gas drilling, a paragraph tucked into the 1,184-page budget gives Walker unprecedented authority to “expedite any permit or action pending in any agency where the creation of jobs may be impacted.” That includes, presumably, coal, oil, gas and trucking.

It’s not clear how Corbett can delegate such sweeping authority to the economic development office, which would be reorganized to focus on coordinating with corporate interests and creating job growth. It also isn’t clear how the state would address the legal conflicts that could arise if, for example, Walker pushed for approval of a permit that conflicted with the Clean Water Act or other federal laws. The governor’s office did not respond to repeated requests to clarify Walker’s role, and other state agencies deferred to the governor.

EDIT

http://www.propublica.org/article/corbett-pa-energy-exec-authority-environment

[Snoutport]

1. poor earth

kick

[femrap]

7. I hope Mother

Earth shits in his face....both of their faces.

[Snoutport]

8. that made me laugh

i was expecting a nice earthy message after reading "I hope Mother"...

[femrap]

10. I believe Mother

Earth has just about reached the limit of her patience. Nothing has more power than her. Just wait until she rotates on her axis....that'll put the greedy little shits where they belong.

There are days when I think humans should be the ones becoming extinct instead of so many animals. And please let's start with the greedy, rich ones.

I'm glad I made you laugh....we need more of those!

eta: Welcome to DU

[Snoutport]

11. Mother

is my friend. I too figure the Earth will teach us a lesson here soon enough...

[phantom power]

2. I must say, it's remarkable to see civilization being rolled back to monarchy

[northoftheborder]

3. The open arrogance of usurping all power to themselves is appalling.

[Pacifist Patriot]

Don't even bother disguising it anymore, do they? I find that in itself chilling.

[Nihil]

13. Agreed. (n/t)

:yoiks:

[jpak]

More republican over-reach insanity

2012 is going to be an interesting year

yup

[jpak]

4. More republican over-reach insanity

2012 is going to be an interesting year

yup

[Angry Dragon]

5. "Trust me", he says

[tosh]

6. They don't want to pass a defecit on to their grandkids but

think absolutely NOTHING of leaving them a parched, desolate, depleted environment in which to live.

[Snoutport]

12. locusts

just like locusts.

[appleannie1]

9. Bromides Found In Allegheny River

Several months ago, when the PSWA found elevated levels of bromides in the intake water, it raised a red flag. That’s because when they are combined with chloride in the treatment plant, bromides become a dangerous compound called trihalomethanes.
At PSWA, they had never been concerned about bromides and trihalomethanes in the past, but in the testing lab, they have tracked a steady increase over the past six months.
The drinking water is still within safe water standards, but could be approaching unsafe levels, especially for the most dangerous trihalomethene called bromoform.

“And that bromoform is disconcerting, because we never see bromoform here,” Mark Stoner, with the PSWA said.
Sheehan: “So this was a cause for alarm.”
Stoner: “Correct.”
The question is why now.
“One possible explanation is that bromide levels in the river may have increased associated with Marcellus Shale mining operations,” States said.
These bromides can come from acid mine runoff and coal-fired power plants, but States says what has changed on the river in the past two years is the amount of natural gas drilling wastewater being treated at plants.
And while the problem is manageable now, he says regulators need to make sure it stays that way.
“We are still in compliance. We’re definitely in compliance,” he said. “We’re concerned that this is an unusual increase that’s still in compliance. We don’t want this to get any worse.”

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/03/08/bromides-found-in-allegheny-river/