PA Governor Final Debate: Candidates Differ on Environment and Fracking

October 8, 2014

The candidates for governor of Pennsylvania met for their third and last scheduled debate, televised live from Pittsburgh. The two clashed over drilling in the Marcellus Shale, and whether the state is doing enough to protect the environment. 

When asked about air and water contamination around drilling sites, Republican Governor Tom Corbett pointed to a $4 million fine recently levied against Range Resources for fouling soil and water near fracking wastewater impoundment sites in Washington County.

"We have taken a very, very forceful approach to the protection of the environment. When we passed the Marcellus Shale legislation, Act 13, we created the toughest environmental laws in the nation when it comes to the development of natural gas here in the United States."

But Democrat Tom Wolf says Pennsylvania is not doing enough to protect the air and water around oil and gas operations. He wants to levy a new tax on drillers that he says would raise a billion dollars a year.

"Some of that money should go to the Department of Environmental Protection to make sure we have the right regulations, to make sure we have the right number of people who will oversee this industry so that we do have a clean environment."

Pennsylvania is the largest oil and gas producing state without an extraction tax on drilling. Corbett says Pennsylvania’s impact fee has raised more than $600 million over three years.