Vol. II No. 186 (346)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
November 18, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
The Answer
LEADING public meeting at new W. Phila. HS last night were State Reps. Ron Waters, left, who chairs Penna. Legislative Black Caucus, and his colleague Jim Roebuck, who is minority chair of House Education Committee. Message they gave 100 high-school students was to fight crime with learning.
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Nov. 18Bobbie Carter Foundation celebrates 10 years of service with Jazzin’ 4 Diabetes at Park Avenue Banquet Hall, 4942 Parkside Ave., 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Festivities include butler hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, dinner, saxophonist John Williams & band and a special awards ceremony. Tickets $20. For info Yanina (856) 2285040, Crystal (215) 375-6267 or Norm (215) 588-7838. Nov. 21Phila. Tea Party Patriots invite all to meeting at Prudential Bank, 1834 W. Oregon Ave., 7 p.m. Entrance and parking in rear. Dec. 1Reception honoring U.S. Senator Bob Casey with Special Guest, James Carville, 6:00pm at The Racquet Club of Philadelphia, 215 S. 16th Street.Friend: $250/person. Committee Person, Young Professional: $100/person. Kindly R.S.V.P. to 267-601-4450 or rsvp@bobcasey.com. Dec. 15Christmas Celelbration in 6300 Block Germantown Avenue, 6 to 7 pm. Corporate and community donations are welcome! For more information to make a donation
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Gas-Drilling Vote Called Off As Del. Guv Vows ‘No’ The Nov. 21 vote to be held in Trenton by the Delaware River Basin Commission has been cancelled according to sources. The vote was to seek approval of regulations that would have allowed shale gas drilling in the Delaware River Basin by the beginning of 2012. However, members of the DRBC failed to agree on a final regulatory package to oversee the responsible development of natural gas. The last-minute cancellation is the second time this vote has been put off. This time it is believed to be in response to an announcement by the Governor of Delaware that he would vote against the regulatory/drilling proposal. The Governor of New York is another “no” vote and the Army Corps of Engineers’ position is uncertain.
tremendous environmental and community harm being caused by gas drilling where it is happening. The issue of shale gas drilling has finally moved out of the political arena and is now being treated as an issue of genuine public policy concern.” “This is a big win for our communities,” said Tracy Carluccio, deputy director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. “For the past month citizens have been writing letters, sending emails, and leaving phone messages for their elected officials – while at first they didn’t want to hear us, enough people reached out that they have been forced to.” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett expressed his disappointment in the decision to cancel the DRBC meeting.
Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum praised Gov. Jack Markell, saying he “has listened to the will of the peo- “Pennsylvania is ready to move forward now,” Corbett ple, to the science and to the
said. “The final regulatory package would ensure that natural gas is developed in a manner that protects our water resources and holds operators to the highest standards in the nation. It is the result of a nearly two-year regulatory process, which has previously been delayed to allow sufficient time to address remaining issues raised by members of the DRBC. “Pennsylvania’s citizens have been extraordinarily patient. We have demonstrated a willingness to compromise and to address issues brought forth by other members of the commission,” Corbett said. “We have worked with our commission partners in good faith, and it is disappointing to not have these efforts reciprocated.” Corbett said the delay was “driven more by politics than sound science.”
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Corbett Praises General Assembly For Marcellus Shale Action
sive Marcellus Shale package this session,” Corbett said.
duplicative and unnecessary,” Krancer testified.
He reminded the committee that there have been more than 1.2 million wells fracked Yesterday, Gov. Tom Corbett across the nation over the last thanked members of the 60 years, and that neither the States where hydraulic fracHouse for passing HB 1950. Environmental Protection turing is taking place are This Marcellus Shale packproperly overseeing the activ- Agency nor state regulatory age, which he argued proagencies have seen any documotes job growth, protects the ity and do not need federal inmented cases of fracking terference, Department of environment and includes a causing contamination of responsible impact fee, incor- Environmental Protection drinking water supplies. Secretary Mike Krancer told porates many of the recommembers of Congress on Nov. mendations of the Marcellus Krancer credited PennsylvaShale Advisory Commission. 16. nia’s aggressive, robust reguKrancer testified Wednesday latory program and oversight The package now moves to of natural gas activities, inthe Senate for their considera- before the US House of Repcluding the administration’s resentatives’ Subcommittee tion. on Water Resources and Envi- April 2011 call to drillers to ronment, of which Congress- stop delivering shale-gas proIn addition, Corbett comduction wastewater to exmen Bill Shuster (R-Blair) mended the Senate for passempted treatment facilities, ing SB 1100 this week, which and Jason Altmire (D-Beaver) with protecting Pennsylvaalso enhances environmental are members. nia’s surface and groundwastandards and includes an imter. “”It is total fiction that pact fee. sewage-treatment plants are discharging these ‘terrible’ Senators’ Tack-On In October, Corbett outlined waste products into the waterhis Marcellus Shale proposal, Boosts Delaware R. ways,” Krancer said. “The which followed the work of Dredging the Marcellus Shale Advisory question here is whether the US Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), states are capable, and the Commission and includes a Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Chris states are doing a good job.” plan to move Pennsylvania Coons (D-Del.) have filed an toward energy independence. Because each state has unique amendment to an appropriations bill that would increase “I look forward to continuing geography, topography and the prospects of securing fedto work with the members of geology, a federal “one-sizeeral funding for the Delaware fits-all” approach to regulathe General Assembly to River dredging project. tion would be “unwise, enact a fair and comprehen4|
DEP Head: States, Not Feds, Should Rule Fracking
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Casey, Toomey and Coons’ amendment would shift already-appropriated funds in the Army Corps of Engineers budget to navigation projects aimed at increasing traffic efficiency on our Nation’s rivers. Adding more funds to the navigation account increases the likelihood that federal funds may be available to dredge the Delaware River in fiscal year 2012. “The Delaware River Deepening Project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Philadelphia and increase the economic competitiveness of the region,” said Casey. “I am committed to doing everything in my power to try to direct federal resources to this project.” “Deepening the Delaware River is critical to our regional economy’s future success. To help our companies compete and export, we need the port infrastructure to do so. I hear from employers all the time about how important this is, and I’m committed to making it happen,” Toomey said.
once the expansion of the Panama Canal is complete. Increasing funds for navigation projects will help to ensure that ports are able to grow and compete.
will invest $2 billion over the next 25 years to update the city’s stormwater infrastructure and manage sewage and stormwater overflow.
“We are investing to make safer, cleaner Philly Named Nat’l Philadelphia and greener,” said Mayor Model For Green Michael A. Nutter. “We are collaborating with private Waterways The City of Philadelphia was partners, residents, government and non-profits to pronamed by the Natural Resources Defense Council as a mote green infrastructure that will impact our city in the top city for water-pollution decades to come. At our management and green stormwater infrastructure. In schools, we are creating rain the report Rooftops to Rivers gardens. In our neighborII, Philadelphia was named an hoods, we are installing porous streets. At our bus “Emerald City” and was the shelters, we are planting only city to have accomgreen roofs. Every day plished all six key green inPhiladelphia comes closer to frastructure actions, which include a long-term green in- being the greenest city in America.” frastructure plan, retention standards, reduction of existWater Commissioner Howard ing impervious surfaces, inNeukrug was grateful for centives for private NRDC’s recognition of the development, a dedicated funding source and assistance PWD and the City as a whole. He noted, “Our goal is to to accomplish a green inframake the city’s waterways – structure plan. our precious natural resources – clean, beautiful, fishable The Philadelphia Water and a destination for all citiDept.’s Green City, Green zens. Our sister agencies are Waters plan, which was submitted to the EPA and has ap- our partners in making this a proval from the Pennsylvania reality.”
Ports along the East Coast are Dept. of Environment Protecgoing to see increased traffic tion, details how the PWD
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farm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 13,800 in October to 5,690,900. Goods-producing and service-providing industries added jobs due to increases in eight of the 11 Pennsylvania’s seasonally adThe state’s unemployment supersectors. Three supersecjusted unemployment rate rate was down 0.4 percentage tors reached record highs this was 8.1% in October, down points from October 2010. month (data back to 1990): from 8.3% in September. Mining & Logging, EducaPennsylvania’s unemploySeasonally adjusted total non- tion & Health Services, and ment rate was below the US
Pa.’s Employment Looks Rosy By Comparison
rate of 9.0%, and has been below the US rate for 42 consecutive months, and at or below the U.S. rate for 60 consecutive months.
Leisure & Hospitality. The largest increase was in Leisure & Hospitality, up 4,000 to 513,100. Manufacturing, up 1,000 from September, has added jobs eight times in 2011. Only Construction (down 100) and Professional & Business Services (down 600) declined in October.
sustain concussions in competition, for crime victims with head injuries, for Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers, among others.
the future, both in terms of the quality of life of Americans and reductions in healthcare costs.”
He added, “The initiative “We have never had a coordi- means that the federal govnated federal policy on neuro- ernment will step up its supscience research, and it’s time port for neuroscience to close that gap,” Fattah research that addresses the Congressman Chaka Fattah said. science of learning, brain de(D-Phila.), the senior House velopment and how brain Democratic appropriator for dysfunction relates to crimiscience, research and technol- “We are on the cusp of adnal behavior. ogy, has won bipartisan Con- vances in our understanding of the brain that will transgressional support to form the treatment of trau“This research can’t be done designate neuroscience rematic brain injuries of on the cheap, and it can’t be search as a top federal priorsoldiers returning from the done piecemeal,” Fattah deity. battlefield; Alzheimer’s and clared. “The federal science and research agencies are best The coordinated research ef- other neurological diseases positioned to advance this forts under the Fattah neuro- and conditions; and childhood developmental disorvital effort, but they must science initiative can spell ders,” Fattah declared. “The work together. This directive new hope for wounded warriors who have suffered con- investments we make now in from the Congress will go a long way to make it happen.” cussive or firearms injuries in neuroscience research will battle, for young athletes who have a multi-fold payoff in
Fattah Wins Fast Track For Neuroscience Research
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Keystone Hosts IBX Prexy
FROM LEFT: Gail Inderwies, founder and CEO of KeystoneCare Home Health Care Aides and Keystone Hospice, in Wyndmoor; Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of Independence Blue Cross Foundation and VP for Community Relations; and Susan SegalBonaviticola, KeystoneCare director of special projects and government relations, met for luncheon meeting at hospice facility to discuss end-of-life issues and mission of newly formed IBX foundation. Keystone Hospice is a pioneer in treating HIV/AIDS patients, as well as for pediatric hospice services. Photo by Bonnie Squires
Brownlee Disses Bill To Punish Professionals For Hiring Aliens State Rep. Michelle Brownlee (D-N. Phila.) said the House this week passed legislation she voted against that would create a harsh new penalty that offers no leeway to licensed professionals of the Commonwealth. Brownlee said the bill (HB 439), which would create the Professional Licensees Illegal Employment Act, would implement an extreme punishment for businesses by revoking their li• PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM
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cense permanently if found guilty of hiring undocumented immigrants. The bill would not only enable discrimination practices, it also fails to provide oversight support for investigation, enforcement and remedies to the licensing bodies. “I strongly oppose this legislation. It disregards the time and resources that professionals have devoted to become who they are today,” Brown-
lee said. “It also leaves those employed by licensed professionals at risk of losing their jobs. In this tough economy, I feel it is wrong to implement such a drastic penalty that has the potential to devastate many people and their financial security because of even one transgression.”
norities.
Brownlee said the measure does not offer any safeguards against the likely increase in discrimination against mi-
The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
“I fear racial profiling will become rampant,” Brownlee said. “The bill refers to undocumented workers as ‘aliens.’ I find this term derogatory and unnecessary to the point the regulation attempts to make.”
Germantown United CDC Incorporates – Foe Of Chelten Plaza Germantown United CDC, a recently incorporated entity, held a meeting of community stakeholders on Nov. 9 at the YMCA in Germantown. Twenty one organizations were invited to send representatives to this meeting to hear about the functions of a CDC, to provide input and discuss their vision for Germantown’s commercial corridor, and learn how their organization could interact with a CDC to help realize that vision.
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The mission of Germantown United CDC is “to promote and facilitate sustainable community and business-corridor development in Germantown, Philadelphia.” The move to establish Germantown United CDC emerged from broad community engagement resulting from the opposition to the Chelten Plaza development-permitting process. Formation of the CDC was further prompted by requests from city officials that the groups championing the Chelten Plaza zoning ap-
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peal and related efforts to establish a new entity in Germantown to serve as the “Corridor Manager.” For more information about Germantown United CDC, and to add your name to its mailing list, visit www.germantownunitedcdc.org.