If you've read some of my previous blog posts you know that Pennsylvania has seen more than its share of severe environmental damage from natural gas drilling. Drinking water contamination, air pollution, fish kills, dead livestock, and more have been reported from the Keystone State.
Recently I mentioned plans to increase leasing in state forests that the state had spent decades to restore to a natural state.
But some things in Pennsylvania may be changing. Governor Edward Rendell has announced he will be hiring additional oil and gas inspectors, as well as proposing some new, more protective regulations for constructing natural gas wells.
Most recently, it has been reported that the Governor supports, "in concept," a moratorium on additional leasing in state forests while environmental impact studies are conducted. This came after a public announcement of a spill in Sproul State Forest of 8-12,000 gallons of drilling mud. It seems like a very reasonable thing.