A Tale of Two Environmental Groups

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Posted on April 20th, 2011 1:20 pm

Since Marcellus Shale activity in Pennsylvania started getting attention, the environmental lobbyist group, PennFuture, has been at the forefront of criticizing the natural gas industry—warning of environmental destruction from the development of this fossil fuel.

PennFuture has perpetuated the lies in the sensationalist film "Gasland", leading the general public to believe that hydraulic fracturing causes tap water to light on fire and threatens human health. The group’s website includes resources urging a moratorium on Marcellus Shale development, and highlights community events to call citizens to action against the industry.

The environmental group’s main goal is for the legislature to pass a substantial tax on natural gas development. “The legislature must adopt a substantial tax with no loopholes or sweetheart deals. The tax should provide significant money allocated to the environment to help fund Growing Greener…”

Why the concern over Growing Greener? It’s not just for the good of earth. The plan subsidizes alternative energy companies, and even gives grants to pro-tax lobbyists like PennFuture.

Yet, warning of drilling’s perils and fighting for companies to pay their “fair share” is only one part of PennFuture’s agenda. The organization seamlessly flips the switch into a pro-gas lobbying firm—defending the industry and supporting a package of seven bills designed to subsidize natural gas vehicles through a combination of tax credits and government loans.

The environmental lobbyist group is simultaneously advocating for taxing and subsidizing the same industry not because it makes any logical sense, but because this tax-spend-regulate policy agenda is beneficial to the group.

PennFuture and like-minded groups always want more money to funnel through the government, to have policymakers—with the assistance of environmental groups—rank, tax and regulate energy resources as they see fit. This botched mentality has failed to generate the benefits promised in the past and will continue to miss the mark in the future.

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