Drilling Foes Take Their Case to the Ballot Box

More towns across Pennsylvania are using the power of the ballot box to regulate or all out ban drilling for natural gas. The Wall Street Journal reported this week about Peters Township in Washington County, where voters could decide on whether to prohibit drilling in the town. A similar referendum is on the November ballot in State College. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today that the Peters Township Council, which opposes an outright ban, is mounting a legal challenge to the ballot initiative. Peters Township Council had passed regulations limiting drilling to 40-acre parcels. But some residents feel the rule does not go far enough. In nearby South Fayette Township, Range Resources has challenged local drilling regulations in court.

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