Harrisburg, PA--The Pennsylvania State Senate passed SB 624 today, which creates an exemption to an 80 year old law that protects streams and water supplies. The bill would allow mining companies to predictably damage or pollute streams based on a promise to clean them up later, instead of preventing the damage in the first place. Additionally a portion of the bill states that the act shall retroactively apply to permits that were the subject of an appeal and heard by the Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) after June 30, 2016.
The bill passed nearly along party lines, with Sens. Rafferty and Greenleaf as the only Republicans voting “no,” and Sen. Brewster being the only Democrat voting “yes.”
Introduced by Senator Joe Scarnati (R-25) two weeks after receiving a $5k donation from Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company (Consol), SB 624 is a direct response to a question currently pending before the EHB as to whether Consol can legally mine underneath and around Ryerson Station State Park, and predictably damage the streams that flow through the area.
In a statement, Veronica Coptis, Executive Director of the Center for Coalfield Justice and Tom Schuster, Senior Campaign Representative in Pennsylvania for the Sierra Club said:
“It’s crystal clear today that fossil fuel companies are controlling our government. Consol is attempting to destroy the remaining streams in Ryerson Station State Park and most of the Senate is supporting polluters over their own constituents,” Coptis said. “Thank you to Senators Greenleaf and Rafferty for opposing SB 624, and party leadership, and standing with coalfield communities’ right to healthy streams.”
“It’s sad to think that a majority of Senators, many of whom grew up fishing and enjoying local waterways, have voted to take away that privilege for an entire community and for future generations,” Schuster said. “We call on the State House and Governor Wolf to reject this corporate giveaway and ensure that public parks remain a part of the public trust so that families, in the communities that need it most, can continue to enjoy our great outdoor spaces for years to come.”
###