US Representative Allyson Schwartz (PA-13). Schwartz’s congressional district is located in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania and includes northeast Philadelphia and portions of Bucks and Montgomery counties. She has served in this capacity from 1991-present. She worked as assistant director of the Philadelphia Health Services Department from 1972 to 1975, and executive director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Center, a Planned Parenthood clinic in Philadelphia, from 1975 to 1988.
Schwartz launched her campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania in April 2013 and was quickly hailed as the frontrunner for the Democratic primary race. Some Democratic party members are worried about Schwartz being perceived as “too liberal”. On the flip-side, there are others who feel Schwartz is “too conservative”.
Either way, one of the big issues that will be discussed during the campaign season is the Marcellus Shale.
MORATORIUM “MISGUIDED”
Allyson Schwartz, does not agree with the resolution passed by the state party last weekend asking for a moratorium until the effects of fracking in Pennsylvania can be studied more closely.
“Allyson Schwartz believes calling for a moratorium on natural gas extraction is misguided,” campaign spokeswoman Reesa Kossoff said in an email.
Schwartz’s district is not in the Marcellus Shale, however portions of her district is in the South Newark Basin. In June of 2012, the PA Legislature quickly tacked on a drilling moratorium for the counties atop the South Newark Basin. The South Newark moratorium’s chief backer, Sen. Charles McIlhinney (R., Bucks), said it was necessary in light of a new scientific study on the potential natural gas locked in the so-called South Newark Basin, which underlies parts of Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Berks Counties. “We need to find out where it is and how much is there before drilling,”
There are no statements from Schwartz on the South Newark Basin moratorium one way or the other.
If the statewide resolution for a moratorium is “misguided”, does that mean Schwartz also thinks the South Newark Basin moratorium is also “misguided”?
Or is the South Newark Basin moratorium a good thing for her backyard? As Governor would she call for the repeal of the South Newark Basin Moratorium?
PARROTING THE TALKING POINTS
Just where does Schwartz stand on natural gas? On her webpage “Marcellus Shale”, she hits the three main industry talking points.
- Natural Gas is a Bridge Fuel
- Billions of dollars in economic development and tens of thousands of jobs
- Burning Natural Gas produces fewer carbon emissions
These and a number of other talking points have been debunked many times over. See: Debunking the Truth About Mythical Fracking Talking Points.
Schwartz has never been to the sacrifice zones where drilling and its related infrastructure are slowly turning communities into disaster areas.
Since there is a moratorium in her district, and that she is running for Governor of the entire state, she needs to go visit the active drilling pads in the Marcellus Shale. Schwarts need to go and breathe the methane and VOCs, see the flares, listen to the roar of a compressor station, and experience the burning eyes and throat first hand. Moreover she needs to put down the glass of the gas industry kool-aid and have a glass of water from the sacrifice zones.
Also see: Allyson Schwartz’s connections to Big Gas: What else did you expect? | by Sean Kitchen | May 6, 2013
©2013 by Dory Hippauf
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