HARRISBURG – Tom Corbett for Governor Campaign Manager Mike Barley released the following statement regarding efforts by our opponents to kill well-paying, family-sustaining, middle-class energy jobs:

“What started out as a Democratic Party policy platform has now been formalized in a piece of legislation attacking Pennsylvania’s growing natural gas industry and the jobs that it supports. With the thousands of energy jobs this industry has created, many regions of Pennsylvania have seen renewed economic growth for the first time in decades. Our opponents are going out of their way to end that progress, kill domestic energy production and throw hardworking Pennsylvanians into unemployment or force them out of the state altogether.”

“Governor Corbett has proven he will fight for Pennsylvania’s middle class by reforming Harrisburg, investing in public education, responsibly using our natural resources to lower utility costs for families and small businesses and helping the private sector to create jobs and grow our economy.”

“Unfortunately our liberal opponents like Allyson Schwartz have subscribed to an anti-energy agenda with extreme proposals to raise taxes, increase regulations or just ban further natural gas production. They continue to prove that they will side with their own radical special interest friends over the people of Pennsylvania.”

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Ferlo Seeks Ban on Natural Gas: “Legislators will soon be considering a bill that would place an “open-ended” ban on natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. The bill, introduced Tuesday by Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny) doesn’t place a time limit on the moratorium…” (Katie Colaneri, “Ferlo Introduces ‘Open-Ended’ Fracking Moratorium Bill,” State Impact PA, 09/18/13)

Schwartz Tax Hike Proposal: Capitolwire: “Schwartz announces shale tax plan: Some legislative Democrats concerned that Schwartz would add a 5 percent tax on top of the $200 million a year annual fee currently imposed.” (Peter DeCoursey, “Schwartz announces shale tax plan,” Capitolwire, 09/04/13)

PA Dems Pass Resolution Seeking Fracking Ban: “After much debate in regional caucuses the body of meeting arrived at the issue of committee member Lyons’s resolution proposing moratorium on hydraulic fracturing…Nonetheless the resolution passed by a standing vote of 115 in favor to 81 opposed.” (Carl Feldman, “Democratic State Committee Roundup,” Politics PA, 06/15/13)

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