on january 17th hundreds of activists and an environmental coalition went to Harrisburg to fight for the rights of local municpalities to protect their communities from fracking.
State lawmakers are proposing to restrict or eliminate local zoning control over gas drilling. Our local officials are the ones who have always decided where gas drilling can occur. They have made common sense decisions like keeping drilling away from our kids’ schools, or out of residential neighborhoods.
We are writing concerning Senator Scarnati’s bill to address Marcellus Shale issues, SB 1100, which was recently amended and voted out of Appropriations Committee. Our organizations have two concerns we would like to draw to your attention.
Be sure to watch the last 15 seconds!
Over 4,000 natural gas wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale in just the last four years. Yet our state legislators have taken no actions to improve protections from gas drilling for our water, our air, or our communities. Finally, both the State House and State Senate are considering bills about gas drilling (HB 1950 and SB 1100). But, there’s a problem.
The process of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) to drill for natural gas is expanding exponentially in many states. Reports of accidents and contamination of water are on the rise. But the “Dirty Water Caucus” is still hard at work. The FRAC Act (Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act) that would protect our drinking water and public health from the risks of natural gas drilling is still stalled in both the House and the Senate.
Fight the Dirty Water Caucus and ask your Elected Officials to pass the FRAC Act!
In our focus on Philadelphia we help municipalities in the Schuylkill River Watershed to strengthen their water protection regulations, are continuing to work with local residents in Ambler to see that a permanent solution is implemented, cleaning up a dangerous asbestos pile, focusing on sustainability and recycling, and are working to help residents monitor and test their air quality.
Combating air pollution in Allegheny County, organizing with residents in the municipalities across the Ohio River to reduce the pollution coming from Neville Island and ensure that industry is being a "good neighbor," working with residents of the Mon Valley who came to Clean Water Action with concerns about air pollution's impact on their health are just a part of our work in Pittsburgh.
Focusing on issues important to the Allentown and Eastern Pennsylvania region including stopping TCE contamination of air, water, and soil in Montgomery County, protecting streams in the greater Lehigh Valley area, protecting the Upper Perkiomen, and promoting effective stormwater management.
Pennsylvanians get their drinking water from our state's more than 83,000 miles of waterways, acres of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands, and a natural system of underground aquifers. Unfortunately, many of these vital water sources have been contaminated or are at risk of contamination. Despite their importance, drinking water sources receive no special protection from pollution and polluting activities in Pennsylvania! Without action, our drinking water sources are in danger.