Corbett lifts drilling moratorium on drilling in state forest for short-term gain

John Hanger today blasted Governor Corbett’s lifting of the state forest drilling moratorium in state forests. The moratorium, which was written by Hanger and former Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Quigley was enacted by Governor Rendell by executive order in 2010 after an exhaustive scientific study concluded that further drilling would irreparably harm the state forest.

“This decisions is the result of the governor’s terrible economic policies that have left Pennsylvania 49^th in job creation since January of 2011, reduced state revenues and created a $1 billion hole in this year’s budget,” said Hanger. “Part of Corbett’s strategy to fill that gap is to damage our state forests with more drilling.”

 “This one-time budget gimmick will have long-lasting effects on our forests and on the citizens’ ability to enjoy their public resource,” he said. “Corbett just does not understand that we cannot drill our way to prosperity, and we cannot drill our way to a balanced budget.”

“This decision is clearly so toxic to the public that the governor is releasing it late on a Friday afternoon before a three-day holiday,” continued Hanger. “Democratic and responsible Republican legislators should reject this budget gimmick and oppose any budget that includes revenue from more gas leases on state forest land.”