A triumph of democracy over Governor Tom Corbett, PA Republicans and big gas company corporate power

"Letter: Fracking ruling restores power to locals

February 27, 2014 | 0 Comment

To The Editor,

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected Tom Corbett’s request to reverse the Act 13 decision, which struck down key provisions in the natural gas drilling laws as unconstitutional.  

Locally, Newlin Township, the little township that could, stood up, fought back and won in 2012 when these provisions of Act 13 were first struck down. Now all of Pennsylvania has won because of the decision not to reverse the previous decision.

Under Tom Corbett and the Majority Leadership, Act 13 would have undermined local democracy and taken away local government’s zoning authority.  Communities would have been mandated to allow drilling in all sections of a town; near schools, playgrounds and hospitals. Unfortunately we’re not done yet with Act 13.  Although this ruling means this decision is final, the matter will return to the Commonwealth court as they try to hash out what will happen with other controversial provisions, including the physician’s gag rule regarding fracking chemicals."

MORE AT:

http://chescotimes.com/?p=4493

Now if  "We The People" could only fight an even larger corporate lobby, the meat production industry, and allow local communities to regulate the amount of pig shit coming into their local water supplies from factory farm manure lagoons:

"These factory farms expose the public to dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, generate enormous amounts of manure, create foul, unhealthy air pollution, pollute ground and surface water and drive smaller farms out of business. Local governments are severely limited in how they can respond, and local property owners can't take action to protect their health and property values."

MORE AT:

http://www.pennfuture.org/content.aspx?SectionID=113&MenuID=