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For Immediate Release
Contact:

Joanne Kilgour, Chapter Director Sierra Club PA, O: 717-232-0101, C: 412-965-9973, Joanne.Kilgour@SierraClub.org

A Huge Win for Pennsylvania's Public Lands

Sierra Club applauds Wolf Administration’s Order to Protect State Parks and Forests from New Oil and Gas Leases

PENNSYLVANIA

Today, Governor Wolf signed an executive order placing a moratorium on new leasing for oil and gas drilling in our state parks and forests. This action reinstates a 2010 moratorium on new leases of state lands that was established after agency review determined that no additional state forest acreage was suitable for natural gas development without compromising its natural character.

"Governor Wolf made a commitment during his campaign to protect our state parks and forests from new oil and gas leases, and today we thank him for following through on that promise. Our state lands are cherished places where families gather to hike and camp, where children learn to fish, and where the value of the natural world is celebrated. Through this executive action,Wolf upholds his duty as a public trustee to conserve and maintain these public natural resources for the benefit of all members of the Commonwealth. Over the past year, our volunteers have tirelessly advocated to protect public lands from natural gas development, and today they share this victory with Governor Wolf and with present and future Pennsylvanians." - Joanne Kilgour, Director of the Sierra Club PA Chapter

"The Sierra Club applauds Governor Wolf for preventing new gas leases on public lands in Pennsylvania: fracking is a hazard to human and environmental health, and drilling for gas certainly has no place in our state parks and forests. By reinstating the moratorium on new leases, Governor Wolf has joined a select group of national political leaders who stand up for people, and not for the interests of the dirty fuel lobby. Today's decision will inspire activists nationwide to double down on fighting dirty fuels and promoting a new American prosperity through clean energy. The Sierra Club looks forward to working with the Governor on future initiatives that will protect our communities and all of our public lands from the dangers of fracking. It's time to keep dirty fuels like fracked gas in the ground, where it belongs." - Michael Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director.

The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone's right to a healthy world.

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