Monday, October 8, 2012

Act 13 Educational and Accountability Event, Monday, October 15, 2012


Act 13 Educational and Accountability Event
Monday, October 15


Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale Gas Act (Act 13) will have a mayor impact on the environment and on communities in our region. It is therefore important to know how our representatives voted on Act 13, why they did so, and how they would like to see Act 13 amended.
 
6:30-8:30 PM, Monday, October 15,Murrysville Community Center
3091 Carson Avenue
Murrysville, PA 15668

Act 13 is Pennsylvania's controversial new oil and gas law, which stripped local governments of their right to plan where natural gas drilling operation can happen in their communities. In July portions of this new law were challenged by local township government officials, a Monroeville doctor, and Delaware Riverkeeper, and overturned by the Commonwealth Court and declared “unconstitutional.”

But the battle continues, as Governor Tom Corbett and his administration appealed the Commonwealth Court decision. These two sides, will argue their cases before the state Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 17th in Pittsburgh.
Many other municipalities and organizations have filed amicus briefs in support of the Commonwealth Court’s decision that preemption of local municipal control over shale gas extraction is unconstitutional, including American Planning Association (Pennsylvania Chapter), Association of Boroughs, Association of Township Officials, Clean Water Action, Mountain Watershed Association, Murrysville Council, Pittsburgh City Council, and the Sierra Club. 

Two days before the historic court October 17 hearing, the public is invited to a free, educational discussion about the new law, which covers all aspects of natural gas development in the state, as well as how the law came to be.
Our event will include a question and answer period and conclude
with an optional phone bank to call state legislators. 
For more information, contact Melissa at Mountain Watershed Association,
724-455-4200 ext. 6#  or Melissa@mtwatershed.com.

Sponsored by: Clean Water Action, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, PennEnvironment, Sierra Club, and Westmoreland Marcellus Citizen Group.

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