Capitol Rotunda - Facing House Chamber

New Department in Limbo

The first new state department since 1995 was to be created in July, under Act 50 of 2010.  To date, however, the Corbett administration has not taken the steps to establish a new, cabinet-level Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. 

Budget Secretary Charles Zogby appeared before the House Human Services Committee to explain the delay, and testified that financial pressures make the change impractical.  Zogby notes that current finances warrant a look at the consolidation of departments, not the creation of a new one.  “We are going to have to think fundamentally different about how we deliver state services in this commonwealth,” Zogby says. 

Both the minority and majority committee chairmen think otherwise.  “There are huge costs in human suffering, crime, lost work productivity and increased health care as a result of leaving addictions untreated,” says Democratic Chairman Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia), who says inaction will not save money.  “The argument by talking about all the budget pressures you’re under, I think you’re making a perfect argument about why we need this new department,” adds GOP Chair Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks). 

Pennsylvania currently has a Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs within the Department of Health.  The new law would elevate that bureau to a cabinet-level department.  Supporters say a central agency will better coordinate treatment and prevention efforts.  Zogby counters that better management of the existing 25 state programs that address addiction could accomplish the same goals.

Marcellus Shale

Lawmakers, Environmental Groups Call for More Control of Air Emissions From Drilling Industry

Some state lawmakers and a number of environmental groups say there’s not enough attention being paid to air pollution caused by Marcellus Shale drilling.   Representative Greg Vitali (D-Del.) says the Department of Environmental Protection must do more to address air pollution caused by drilling activity.     

Vitali says a lot of the pollution comes from the various machinery used in the drilling process. He cites compressors, condensate tanks, dehydrators and other equipment.  He says the pollutants involved are nitrous oxides,   sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and methane.

Vitali says DEP needs to increase its air pollution staffing to address the problems.  He says they need more money, and the way to do that is to increase air pollution fees.  He says regulations under the Rendell administration which would have given DEP 8 million dollars more the air program were stopped by the Corbett administration.  He says the state needs to enact those air pollution fees.

Vitali adds that DEP needs to require drillers to use best available pollution control devices for their compressor engines.

Representative Camille “Bud” George (D-Clearfield) says we have to make sure our state and federal governments have appropriate oversight. He called on state government to look past what’s most convenient for industrial gas drillers and do what’s best for Pennsylvania.

Representative Eugene DePasquale (D-York) says the state needs a fair and adequate Marcellus Shale drilling tax to ensure the state has both clean air and water.  He says the state needs people in DEP fully staffed with the tools to protect the environment.

Jan Jarrett of PennFuture says air emissions from the Marcellus Shale industry will make it extremely difficult for Pennsylvania to attain healthy air, if the state doesn’t use the regulations currently at its disposal to reduce emissions as the industry develops.      

Jarrett says Pennsylvania does not meet the national health based standards for ozone pollution, but the southwest regional office of DEP alone has permitted more than 13 thousand tons per year of nitrous oxide emissions associated with the Marcellus industry. She says DEP also needs to require drillers to provide accurate information about emissions from gas development activities.  She says it’s time to end the gas industry’s exemption from air pollution laws; otherwise, Pennsylvania’s air quality will deteriorate.

Representatives of other groups including the American Lung Association and Sierra Club also spoke out for more regulation of air emissions from the natural gas drilling industry.

Texting While Driving Ban on its Way to Governor’s Desk

Pennsylvania could soon become the 35th state to ban all drivers from texting behind the wheel.  With a 45 – 5 vote in the Senate, Tuesday, a bill to ban texting while driving is on its way to Governor Tom Corbett’s desk.  “It’s no question that it’s distractive, it’s no question that it’s dangerous, and it’s also in many instances deadly,” Senator Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks) said during a speech on the Senate floor.  Tomlinson is the prime sponsor of SB 314

The bill received bipartisan support in the House too, passing the chamber with a 188 – 7 vote on Monday.  “It’s been almost five years working on this,” State Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-York) tells Radio PA.  “I think it will make the roadways of Pennsylvania safer, and at the end of the day I think it’s a stronger piece of legislation than when it started.” 

The final version of the bill would make texting while driving a primary offense, which means a police officer could pull a driver over solely for texting.  The offense would come with a $50 fine, but points would not be added to a driver’s record and police could not seize a driver’s phone. 

Governor Tom Corbett made his support of a texting ban clear, last month, while signing a new teen driver law.  “Literally the other day, somebody was driving with their elbows and texting in the fast lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” Corbett recalled. 

Pennsylvania is currently one of only ten states with no law on the books concerning texting while driving.  The issue of talking on handheld cellphones is being addressed in a separate bill, which awaits state House action.

Governor, First Lady in the Halloween Spirit

Governor Tom Corbett and First Lady Susan Corbett welcomed Harrisburg trick-or-treaters to the Governor’s residence, which was all decked out for Halloween.  “We had a lot of things donated from the community, candy bars, pumpkins,” First Lady Susan Corbett said.  “So everyone has been really great in helping us put together this evening, turning the Governor’s Residence into a haunted Governor’s Residence.”  

Governor Tom Corbett and First Lady Susan Corbett were dressed as vampires for Halloween.