This page was last updated on October 27, 2010.
No excuse for state not taxing drilling; Jim Rogers; Beaver County Times; October 27, 2010.
The only previous Rogers letter of which I’m aware was entitled “No reason for EPA to believe firms” (9/15/10). I did not critique that letter.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I see from a recent article that the issue of taxing the Marcellus Shale drillers is dead for this year.
“Once again, our elected leaders have failed us.
“I’ve heard the argument that if the drillers are taxed it will cost Pennsylvania jobs. Guess what? I don’t see the drillers pulling out of our neighboring states that had the foresight to enact an extraction tax. While our elected leaders have their collective heads buried in that dank, foul hole of partisan politics, the drillers are free to pillage Pennsylvania at will.
“My question is, who is going to pay to restore the environment, repair the roads and fix whatever else is used up after the drillers are gone? Maybe the drillers, or the property owners who leased their rights, or how about the politicians whose inactivity caused the problem in the first place?”
[RWC] As I’ve written previously, companies harvesting our natural resources must do so in a responsible manner and must have the financial and technological wherewithal to handle worst-case scenarios. It is government’s responsibility to enforce these rules and to make sure everyone involved [businesses and government (local, state, federal)] is prepared (via drills, for example) to execute disaster plans.
“I don’t think so. Gee, that leaves you and me, the taxpayers.
“Just goes to show you that diapers and politicians need changing regularly, both for the same reason.”
[RWC] If someone proposes a tax intended and sized solely to deal with potential environmental problems, would Mr. Rogers be happy? Another alternative is to require drillers to purchase adequate insurance. Since that approach would not put money in the hands of the government, however, would Mr. Rogers be happy?
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