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Latest
Press Releases & News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2011 The
End of Local Self Government? The Luzerne County-based group, Gas Drilling Awareness
Coalition (GDAC), along with several other Pennsylvania community
groups, are collectively voicing their opposition to Pennsylvania
House Bill 1950 in a jointly signed letter to government leaders.
"We clearly need a separation of corporation and state. What began as a drilling problem is now a democracy problem," said Wanda Guthrie, a Westmoreland County resident. "Many municipalities are working diligently and thoughtfully to draft ordinances that will protect their communities through careful zoning and municipal codes. Each PA community is unique - a state-mandated one-size-fits-all solution is not the answer." Our state government should honor and protect Pennsylvanian’s
rights to decide acceptable risk for their own community, rather
than showing favoritism to an industry. This is not just any industry-
it's heavy industry that comes with environmental and health consequences."
In response to residents’ growing concern about
drilling, an increasing number of municipalities are either banning
this heavy industry within their boundaries or enacting community
rights ordinances. For a complete list of bans and moratoria go
to: http://shalethreat.org/styled/bansmoratoria.html. In addition to stripping local governments of the
right to create ordinance limiting oil and gas activity, it also
outlines a drilling impact fee. Locally, Luzerne County residents
may not see any of its share of a severance tax, even though it
has recently become a hotbed of Marcellus Shale activity, including
metering stations, pipelines and compressor stations. HB 1950 lays
out a complicated formula for municipalities that do not have wells. GDAC is calling on residents and local government
officials to contact state legislators and the governor to oppose
HB 1950, which will soon be moving to the floor of the House. As stated in Article I, section 27 of the PA Constitution:
the people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation
of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.
Pennsylvania government has a trusteeship responsibility to protect
that environment on behalf of future generations. For more information or to make arrangements to
have a speaker from ======================================================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 11th, 2011 An Open Letter to Concerned Back
Mountain Residents: As an avowed & unrepentant minimalist, I continually
try to see the forest for the trees... They have acceded to the dictates & recommendations
provided by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
(PSATS.) This is a non-profit association that purports to advise
our elected township supervisors on matters of local governance.
Don’t
be deceived by industry created media releases that your local elected
officials are trying to protect you. You are being used as dupes in a cruel hoax. By the
dictates of the revised ordinances township supervisors will be
required to issue conditional permits for gas drilling, hydraulic
fracturing, gas transmission pipelines, compressor stations, metering
stations, gas processing plants & all associated equipment &
operations in Districts zoned as Agricultural & Manufacturing.
Conservation Districts are exempted from these conditional
uses, however only a small portion of land is zoned as such. The
Kingston Township ordinance takes it even a step further by allowing
conditional use for horizontal drilling & hydraulic fracturing
in Districts zoned as Residential. The real purpose of these ordinances is to take the
pressure off of your elected officials & negate their oaths
to protect the health, safety & welfare of their constituents.
Township Solicitors & Planning Consultants are in favor of enacting
these ordinances because it would keep them in compliance with the
PA Municipal Planning Code which parrots the dictates of the PA
1984 Oil/Gas Act & will avoid involving them in conflict. Dallas Township’s current zoning ordinance requires
that a special exception is required for industrial activities such
as natural gas compressors & metering stations. This requires
that an application be subjected to a review by a Zoning Hearing
Board & could be denied if the Board determined that the proposed
use was incompatible with the zoning district. As evidenced by the huge turnout at the Dallas Middle
School for recent hearings held to discuss the application by Chief
Gathering to build a compressor station/metering station & later
a metering station near the Dallas School Complex, there is considerable
public support to restrict these activities. Under the proposed ordinances the Township Zoning
Officer would be required to issue a permit under a conditional
use. There would be no hearing where residents could express their
displeasure. Is there any question why the industry is intent on
the enactment of these ordinances? Decisions by local municipalities
have the potential of decreasing the industry’s already bloated
bottom lines & resistance by local residents trying to protect
their way of life is causing them a degree of consternation. Now is the time for you to take a strong stand against
the destruction of your communities. Attend the hearings on these
ordinances in your municipalities & demand that your elected
officials not sell out your constitutionally guaranteed rights to
clean air & water. Neil E. Turner Resident of ========================================================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 7th, 2011 Free & Open to the PUBLIC- Concerned
Citizens Are Urged to Attend- "Life
In The Gas Fields" Mayor Tillman & Mr. Ruggiero will be travelling
throughout the Marcellus Shale regions speaking to For more information or to make arrangements to
have a speaker from ================================================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 24th, 2011 Statement to Dallas Area School
Parents on the Status Dear Concerned Parents: Because Chief had intended to file an amended application
to Dallas Township even before this recent revelation If, after considering another site, Chief decides
to continue efforts to locate the Compressor Station next to the GDAC will closely monitor this issue and will publicize
information as soon as it is available. 1) GDAC does not take the position that as long as
it’s not in my backyard, then it’s ok. If the neighbors
around 2) In the article in the CV on Monday about the Compressor
Station tour, Chief’s Steve Hamilton mentioned that it Thank you, GDAC Compressor Committee For more information or to make arrangements to
have a speaker from =============================================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 22nd, 2011 Free & Open to the PUBLIC- Concerned
Citizens Are Urged to Attend- "Public
Health Impacts of Natural Gas COMPRESSOR STATIONS" Conrad Daniel Volz, Dr.PH, MPH is an Assistant
Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Environmental &
Occupational Health at the Graduate School of Public Health, Director
for its Environmental Health Risk Assessment Certificate Program,
& Director for the Center for Healthy Environments & Communities.
He also has a secondary appointment as an Assistant Professor in An additional presentation will be given by Samantha
Malone, MPH, CPH, of the University of Pittsburgh's Center for
Healthy Environments & Communities Communications. She is the
founder & webmaster of FrackTracker.org an online mapping
system to inform citizens of the extent & impact of For more information or to make arrangements to
have a speaker from ================================================================== FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2011 Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition Media Relations Dallas Schools Parents Concerned about Compressor Station Parents & taxpayers in Dallas
Township concerned about Gas Compressor Station Natural Gas Compressor Stations are where the gathering
lines bring the gas from the wells to be "cleaned" for
market. It will be there as long as drilling occurs in Northeast
Pennsylvania. It removes all the moisture (gas leaves the well in
liquid form) and all the contaminants (uranium, NORM, chemicals,
heavy metals) and is where all the gas is sent to the transportation
line or trucks to market. Parents are concerned that a Compressor Station is major industry and emits high levels of pollution (air, noise, potential spills from waste being transported, truck traffic). They are also concerned about a compressor station’s high potential for explosions. Concerned residents are encouraged
to attend the Dallas Twp. Zoning Meeting- Parent Kim Jacobs states, ""It just makes
no sense that anyone would even consider constructing a compressor
system so close to a school complex. i hope the people in charge
of approving or rejecting this have done suitable research and are
weighing in on all of the negative aspects and potential problems
associated with compressor stations. We all need to put the best
interest of the Dallas students and residents in the surrounding
area first." Students themselves, are concerned, too. Dallas High
School senior Demetra Szatkowski states, “I am concerned not
only for myself and my siblings, but for all the people in the Dallas
School District. It is shocking that the majority of people in this
area do not know about this, and I certainly hope that the people
entrusted to protect us will not allow us to be put at risk. Harming
children for a profit makes absolutely no sense. The Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition includes Luzerne
County citizens concerned about the potential problems gas drilling
by horizontal fracturing (“fracking”) will bring to this
populated and developed area. Concerns include polluted water supplies,
toxic waste, radioactive mud, dirty air, depleted water habitat,
noise, eminent domain, loss of farmland, loss of tourism, higher
crime rates, more traffic, more accidents, lowered property values,
and increased taxes. The goal is to protect our communities and
environment from exploitative gas drilling. For more information or to make arrangements to
have a speaker from ================================================================== "X-Country" Band Reunites
for Brews Bros. West Northeast Pennsylvania's hottest bands -- including
a reunion of "X-Country" -- will perform a benefit
concert for the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition of Luzerne
County. The kitchen will be open as well as a cash bar. There will
also be a basket raffle with great prizes, including a flat screen
television. The Scheduled Band Line-up Includes: 5 PM to 6 PM: 8:30 PM: “Like” Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition on Facebook.com ===================================================================== For Immediate Release December 3,
2010 Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition Media Relations GAS DRILLING AWARENESS COALITION
OFFERS BUS TRIP TO HARRISBURG There will be a statewide rally for a moratorium on
gas drilling on January 18, 2011 (Inauguration day) at 9:30 a.m.
meeting at 3rd and Market, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg. So that concerned citizens from Northeast Pennsylvania are able to attend, the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition has organized this bus trip. PUBLIC IS INVITED. Meet at Wegman's, Wilkes-Barre, at 6:15 a.m. Bus
departs at 6:30 a.m. sharp. Approximate return time is 5:30 PM. The cost is $20 and includes transportation and gratuity.
All incidental costs are extra. Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition For more information or reservations, call 570.266.5116 or contact gdac@mail.com. |
