State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-10) was the lone Republican to vote against a budget proposal sent to Gov. Tom Corbett’s desk earlier this week.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The reason McIlhinney didn’t vote with this party comes down the state government allowing use of the fracking technique to produce natural gas from state lands.
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“While a number of extremely important services and priorities are funded in the state budget, I have serious objections to balancing the budget through the use of revenue from additional fracking on state forest lands. Balancing the books at the expense of our natural resources is the wrong approach and sets a dangerous precedent going forward,” McIlhinney said in a statement.
Environmental groups have lobbied McIlhinney and other state officials to take a stance against allowing fracking to happen on state lands.
“A number of environmental groups have expressed serious concerns regarding the impact of opening more state lands to fracking, and sportsmen’s groups have voiced fears of the effect the additional drilling activity could have on our delicate ecosystems and wildlife. Given the gravity of these issues, I could not in good conscience support the spending plan in its current form,” the senator said.
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McIlhinney vote put him with the senates 23 Democrats in opposing the budget, which features nearly $100 million
A Philly.com report from early June says a poll found 57 percent of state voters are against drilling into state park land to obtain natural gas.
McIlhinne’s district covers Falls and Tullytown along with several towns stretching from Lower Bucks County to Upper Bucks County.
