Major Portion of State Fracking Law Struck Down

In a major decision, the state supreme court struck down a portion of the state’s main fracking law–Act 13–ruling that oil and gas companies could not override local zoning laws to drill wherever they wanted in the state’s Marcellus Shale formation. Also:

The court’s decision, on a 4-2 vote, also sent back to Commonwealth Court for review and disposition challenges by a physician to the Act 13 provisions that would have prevented doctors from telling patients about health impacts related to shale gas development, and a constitutional challenge that the law benefits a single industry.

This is a big victory for local homeowners in PA and a big loss for natural gas companies. Expect to see a lot of national coverage on this front too today. [Post-Gazette]