Agencies appeal ruling on gas drilling

Agencies appeal ruling on gas drilling by Associated Press, July 28, 2012
HARRISBURG — Two state agencies on Friday appealed a court ruling that threw out new limitations on the ability of municipalities to use zoning rules to control natural gas drilling activity. The Public Utility Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection, both controlled by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett’s appointees, filed the appeal one day after Commonwealth Court had issued its 4-3 decision that the law’s changes unfairly affected people who live near drilling activity. The appeal asked the state Supreme Court to review whether the plaintiffs were entitled to sue, whether the ruling was based on sound law and whether the lower court should have stopped the law’s provisions from being enforced. Seven municipalities and others sued over the 5-month-old law, arguing it improperly benefited the oil and gas industry and took away municipalities’ power to protect landowners.