Pittsburgh Moves Aahead with Controversial Gas Drilling Ban
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
10 November 2010
By Joe Smydo
Pittsburgh City Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a ban on
natural gas drilling in the city, with members saying they're ready to
defend it in a possible legal fight with Marcellus Shale producers.
Citing concerns about drilling explosions and pollution, council voted
8-0 for a controversial bill that Councilman Doug Shields introduced in
August. Supporters predicted that council's action will encourage other
communities to defy the gas industry.
"I can't vote any other way," council President Darlene Harris said.
The Marcellus Shale Coalition, a Cecil-based trade group that
previously predicted the city would have a difficult time preventing
property owners from developing their mineral rights, expressed
disappointment.
"Councilman Shields' resolution -- with questionable legal authority --
and his desire to deny private property owners their fundamental rights
unfortunately discount the overwhelmingly positive and profound
economic impact that responsible clean-burning shale gas development
continues to have for our region and its work force," the coalition
said in a statement.
Councilman Ricky Burgess was not in council chambers when the vote was
taken and had not registered a vote by Tuesday afternoon. All other
members voted for the ban.
The preliminary vote, to be followed by a final vote Tuesday, was
welcomed by Marcellus Shale opponents.
"It's like a beacon," Lawrenceville resident Gloria Forouzan said,
contending that other communities will follow Pittsburgh's lead. "I
think it's building a lot of momentum."
Ben Price, who helped craft Mr. Shields' legislation as projects
director for the Franklin County-based Community Environmental Legal
Defense Fund, said that within hours of the vote he'd spoken with gas
opponents in three other municipalities interested in enacting their
own bans.
"We've got quite a number of municipalities in the state that are
exploring this, looking at it. I think with Pittsburgh taking the lead
like this, it will inspire others," Mr. Price said.
He said the proposed ban has a "local bill of rights" asserting that
city residents can exclude drilling from their neighborhoods, no matter
what rights are conferred on corporations by other levels of government.
Mr. Price's organization a few years ago helped Blaine, Washington
County, enact a ban against fossil-fuel development. A federal court
struck down the ordinance.
Both the gas industry and its critics have stepped up their public
relations efforts in recent months, the former with a series of radio
and TV ads extolling the economic benefits of gas drilling and the
latter with critical news releases and a Nov. 3 anti-drilling rally
Downtown.
Mr. Shields said he's not only concerned with environmental problems
but with the gas industry's belief that it can "come into the city of
Pittsburgh willy-nilly and run roughshod" over critics. He said a legal
challenge to his bill might provide valuable scrutiny of the industry.
"I'd love to have some discovery here," he said.
Councilman Bruce Kraus also said he's willing to risk a legal fight.
"I am not about to gamble with some of the most basic human rights
people possess -- clean air and clean water, safe environments in which
to live and raise families," Mr. Kraus said.
Councilman Patrick Dowd voted for the bill, even though he previously
introduced legislation to restrict, not ban, gas production. Mrs.
Harris said Mr. Dowd's bill can be the city's backup plan if a ban
"doesn't work."
Joe Smydo: jsmydo@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1548.