“It is unfortunate that we were not able to reach a general agreement on all aspects of this measure and we cannot support it on final passage. There is too much at stake. We can’t allow Pennsylvanians to ultimately wind up on the losing end of the battle to make sure our resources and drinking water are protected. We also need to make sure that Pennsylvanians get their fair share. Their state’s resources must be given away for a fair price. Alaska, Texas, Montana, and a slew of other states gain more from their severance fees than Pennsylvania will under this proposal. We can’t allow multi-billion dollar international corporations a free pass to the vast and valuable resources that lie beneath our commonwealth. We can’t stand for the state taking away the rights of townships and municipalities to control their own destiny when it comes to Marcellus Shale development. The Republicans have made it clear tonight that they are willing to hand over the keys to the castle.
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“Short-term benefits cannot take priority over what the majority of Pennsylvania’s men and women want and deserve – environmental protection and a fair fee from the companies poised to make billions more than they have already pocketed from the resources Pennsylvania provides. We can’t be left holding the bag and paying for the clean-up many years from now when the natural gas rigs have been taken away and the natural gas is gone.
“I am saddened by the fact that one of the most important issues we have been negotiating for more than two years could not result in an acceptable compromise.
I want to assure all, it wasn’t for lack of effort. My Democratic colleagues and I were provided the opportunity to have meaningful input and provide ideas to improve this bill. For that, we are grateful. Sen. Scarnati, his staff and our members and staff negotiated at length through many issues and provided perspectives for the other to consider. But at the end of the day, we need to make sure that this bill is correct and something that Pennsylvanians can live with now and for years to come.”