Late News: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Blasts State's New Marcellus Drilling Law, Act 13; Canada's Northern Gateway Project, Developed Primarily by Enbridge Takes Major Step Forward

摘要

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court voted 4-2 on Thursday to strike down portions of a 2012 law that had been crafted by Gov. Tom Corbett and industry-friendly allies in the Legislature to provide opportunities of oil and gas drillers throughout the state. The Court declared major provisions of the state's Marcellus Shale drilling law, Act 13, unconstitutional, including one that allows gas companies to override local zoning laws. The court ruled that portions of Act 13 of 2012, a statute amending the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act, are unconstitutional. Specifically, the court found that the Act violated the Pennsylvania Constitution by placing zoning rights regarding hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") solely in the hands of state authorities, depriving local municipalities of the power to regulate. The court ruled that the limitation by the state was a violation of Article I, Section 27 of the state's constitution, which guarantees the public's right to environmental preservation and natural resources.