A Committed Environmentalist

By Steven J. Santarsiero

Steve has fought against the current Marcellus Shale bill (Act 13/ HB 1950). He has advocated for a sound comprehensive energy policy. Steve has also fought to preserve open space.

Going back to his days as township supervisor in Lower Makefield, Steve has been a committed environmentalist, standing up for a sustainable energy policy and open space preservation. Most recently, Steve received a perfect 100% rating from Pennsylvania's top environmental groups for his voting record in Harrisburg.

Marcellus Shale Gas Extraction

Steve understands that the Marcellus Shale natural gas play presents Pennsylvania with a potential economic boom and a potential plentiful source of alternative energy that burns clearer than coal and some other conventional sources. However, he feels strongly that the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus play needs to be done in a way that does not harm the environment and, in particular our drinking water.

That's why Steve supports requiring greater distances between extraction sites and homes, drinking water supplies and streams, lakes, rivers and other surface waters. It's also why he opposed HB 1950, the extraction fee giveaway to the industry.

Specifically, HB 1950 + signed into law by Governor Corbett at night, behind closed doors and without press present + fails Pennsylvania because:

• It does not generate enough revenue to protect the environment (at most it will bring in about 1/5 what most other states collect through a drilling tax)
• The fee is optional by county where the drilling is occurring and already one of the most important counties in the region + Bradford County + has indicated that it will not impose the fee meaning even fewer revenues.
• It forces local communities to allow drilling in residential districts, setting a very bad precedent that restricts what towns can do to protect their residents.
• It creates new incentives for the state to lease out more state forest and parklands for drilling.

Steve also supports the continuation of the moratorium on drilling in the Delaware River watershed and a comprehensive study on the short- and long-term effects of fracking.

Energy Policy

In Harrisburg, Steve serves on the important House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.In that capacity he has worked closely on new legislation that would increase alternative energy requirements -- making Pennsylvania a leader in solar energy standards -- while enacting new consumer protection rules that would help keep the cost of energy low.

Steve also has worked to promote sound energy policy here at home.He has helped secure a $250,000 grant for Lower Makefield Township to purchase LED lights that will reduce energy usage, thereby saving taxpayers about $50,000 a year.He also helped get a $21,000 grant for Crossing Vineyards in Upper Makefield. The grant is for the purchase of solar panels and will help Crossing Vineyards realize its goal of becoming energy independent within the next 5 years.

Protecting Open Space

Since his days as a leader in the movement that stopped the Matrix big-box store shopping center, Steve has been a strong proponent of open space preservation.

In Harrisburg, Steve serves on the House's Local Government Committee, which considers land use policy and other matters relating to county and municipal government.Steve has introduced a bill in the Committee that would give towns more power to control development.Among other things, Steve's bill would allow towns to reject proposed development if there were not sufficient infrastructure (such as roads, schools, utilities, etc.) to service it.

Back home, Steve continues to support residents as well as Lower Makefield and Newtown Townships in their joint fight to stop the proposed relocation of Frankford/Aria Hospital to the land adjacent to Shady Brook Farm.[Steve was one of the founders of Residents Against Frankford's Relocation -- the residents group fighting the move.]