Roll Back Big Government

Who knows your community better?  Harrisburg would have you believe that they do.  Over the loud objection of many local governments and citizens, on Feb. 14, 2012 Gov. Corbett signed into law act 13 which stripped local municipalities of their rights to zone within their boarders forcing local residents to allow oil and gas drilling, processing, and pipelines in all zoning regions including in residential areas and next to schools.  In short, decades worth of carefully thought out local zoning laws put in place to safeguard the health, safety, and character of our communities were erased with the stroke of a pen on Valentine’s Day.

  But it seems that people are starting to realize the full scope of this power grab.  In July the Commonwealth Court declared the zoning provision of act 13 unconstitutional. The PA Association of Township Supervisors has come out in opposition to the provision. So have over 65 local governments including four in Butler County.  When the PA Utility Commission (PUC) withheld close to $1,000,000 in impact fees in an apparent retaliation against the municipalities who challenged Act 13 in court, the Commonwealth Court again had to rein in big government by issuing a “cease and desist” order and declaring that the PUC has no authority to review local gas drilling ordinances.

The Corbett administration, the general assembly, and state agencies have overstepped their bounds time and time again by putting the profits of oil companies over the people and the laws of the Commonwealth and I for one am happy that the courts are rolling back their power grab.

J.M.B.