Say NO to Anti-Environment Budget Deal

From PennFuture (http://www.pennfuture.org):

The State Senate budget deal makes one thing clear: oil and gas industry profits are more important to the legislature than protecting the air you breathe and the water your drink. Essentially, your state legislators are increasing your taxes and weakening environmental protections, all while strengthening profits for the already soaring oil and gas industry.

This deal is not fair to you, your children, or your families.

Your clean air and safe drinking water are at stake.

Contact your representative at https://pennfuture.salsalabs.org/72117legislaturetargetingenviroforbudgetcopy1/index.html and tell her/him to reject this budget plan.

• The budget deal effectively strips the PA Department of Environmental Protection of its ability to regulate the oil and gas industry.
• The budget deal eases regulations for coal-related manganese discharges, which is toxic to humans, within five miles of drinking water supplies.
• The plan allows oil and gas wastewater treatment facilities to operate under expired permits until 2019, putting your children’s drinking water sources at grave risk.
• It implements a small severance tax on natural gas and higher taxes on electricity, natural gas heating, and cell phones in exchange for neutering environmental protection for land, water and air.

The budget is changing the way that PA has regulated the oil and gas industry, taking it away from the watchdogs and putting it into the hands of the industry itself. If this budget deal passes, the gas industry will regulate itself, which means it won’t be regulated at all.

Stand up for your family’s right to clean air and pure water, and contact your representative today.