Radical Enviros Continue to Make Trouble for PA DCNR re Lease Rev

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As MDN reported in June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of Appeals, in a sharply divided 3-2 decision, sided with virulent anti-drilling group Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation against the state in saying that any royalties generated from drilling on state-owned land MUST be used solely for conservation and the environment (see PA Supreme Court Hands Antis Partial Victory re State Land Drilling). The aim of the PA EDF is to disrupt Marcellus Shale drilling by any means necessary. This is one of those means. The three liberal justices who rendered the decision say the law is clear on intent–that money raised from leasing state-owned lands for drilling must be used for environmental purposes. The PA EDF arrogantly told the State of Pennsylvania that the money raised from drilling can’t be used for general operating expenses of the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)–the very organization that oversees the state lands and is in charge of said leasing (see Radical Enviros Now the Tail Wagging the PA DCNR Dog re Funding). But the Supremes, in their “wisdom,” decided to send the case back to the lower Commonwealth Court for a decision about the disposition and spending of money raised from signing bonuses. The decision the Supremes made in June only affects royalties. Now the radicals at the PA EDF are telling the Commonwealth Court that signing bonuses are in the same camp as royalties–that PA should not be able to use them for anything other than Big Green causes. Since there is no new leasing of PA state land under lib Dem Gov. Tom Wolf, a decision by the court will affect money already received and spent, from 2009-2010…

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