Charlie Dent Misleads On Marcellus Shale.

You'll have to forgive me. When I first saw the video of Charlie Dent saying he didn't support a FRACK Act, and saying the questioner needed to take it up with state officials, I found that answer to be reasonable. My understanding was that this was a state issue, and was being played out in Harrisburg. Apparently, I, and Congressman Dent, are wrong.

One of the major problems with fracking was caused by Congressional action. From LVI:

Noel Jones asked Charlie Dent to sign Bob Casey's FRAC Act and he refused. The FRAC Act would close the Halliburton loophole from the 2005 Bush Energy bill that exempts natural gas drilling from pollution regulations.

Now, I know that there may be Senatorial politics playing in this. The 2005 Bush Energy Bill was one of Dent's first votes, and it of course, gave these "frackers" the rights to not care about pollution. Yes, that's FEDERAL action.

Let me be clear here, the same as with state politicians who say an "extraction tax" will kill jobs, your argument is bunk: natural gas companies are not going to "pass" on this huge supply of gas, just because they have to follow rules and pay in some money so that we don't get run over in this. These companies are stretching our infrastructure in central PA thin, they are polluting our water, and they are making BILLIONS doing it. It's not too much to ask to have them pay our state a tax for that profit. It's not too much to ask that they don't pollute our state free of penalty. None of this kills jobs.

Hmmm.... The Pork or the Barbecue?

AP:

An energy company drilling in Pennsylvania’s gas-rich Marcellus Shale paid for a top Republican state senator’s trip to see the Pittsburgh Steelers play in the Super Bowl in Texas, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, had his ticket, plane ride and hotel bill paid for by Consol Energy Inc., one of Scarnati’s top aides told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

LVI makes an excellent point:

I think this sort of thing - the Superbowl party in Texas, corporate lobbyists picking up the tab for Tom Corbetts inauguration - is a lot more like good old-fashioned bribery than, say, campaign contributions. They're not aiding the Senate President in his professional capacity, (although they did do that too). What you have here is Joe Scarnati the dude enjoying an entirely private benefit on the frackers' dime. He should give it back.

Frankly, to inject some honesty here, for what State Senator Scarnati is giving them as Senate President, he's a "cheap date." No taxation at all for extracting natural gas from our land here, causing millions in damage to our roads and environment, while importing the labor for the work from all over the place. So they get free profits, we get nothing, and the cost to them is a party in Dallas for the Super Bowl. That's one hell of a deal.

For Sale For The Price Of Barbecue and Super Bowl Tickets, The Pennsylvania Legislature

Disgusting.

According to a blog post from Capitol Ideas, a lobbying firm will throw a Steelers-themed party on behalf of natural gas drillers the day before the big game.

Can't afford a plane ticket? Not an influential state official? That's too bad. Because this party is going to be totally awesome.

For those lucky enough to attend, you'll be among "Steelers fans, friends of Range Resources and even some Super Steeler greats," where you'll enjoy "a classic Texas BBQ, music and entertainment as we cheer on the Steelers to another Super Bowl championship," the invitation reads.

Sounds fun. Of course, you'll remember that the drillers have major issues pending before state government. In addition to a possible tax on drilling, there are also a host of regulatory issues. It's impossible not to see a lavish Super Bowl party as part of an effort to influence the outcome of the debate.

That's troubling, because the rest of us can't afford to hire lobbyists on our behalf. Every person in Pennsylvania will feel the impact of natural gas drilling, not just a few industry insiders. We have no problem with drillers making their case to lawmakers, but the public should have the same kind of access.

We're supposed to have entered a new age of reform in Harrisburg, but don't expect a lot of changes to how lobbyists are allowed to operate. Gov. Tom Corbett, who made his bones as a corruption-busting prosecutor, failed to propose any new rules for lobbyists when he announced his reform plan last month.

I thought the new Governor and Legislature were going to usher in a new era of good government? Not a chance in hell, I guess. The Big Natural Gas companies get access for food and football, the people get nothing.