Allegheny County Council votes to ban fracking in parks

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Allegheny County Council has voted to ban fracking in parks, but County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said he will veto the bill when it comes to his desk.

In an 11-4 vote on Monday, the council approved an ordinance that bans new natural gas drilling and other industrial activity inside and underneath county parks.

"No one has ever kayaked in North Park and thought the experience would be better with a convoy of diesel trucks," said Zachery Barber with PennEnvironment. "So, Allegheny County residents are going to be celebrating tonight that we have protected our parks from fracking."

For the last eight years, drilling outside Deer Lakes Park has gotten gas from under the park. 

"Royalties could mean a lot because our county parks, let's face it, they are thousand of acres," Councilman Nick Futules said. "Deer Lakes was 1,200 acres, and they gave us a check for $8 million just to sign the lease."

In a statement on Monday, Fitzgerald said it does not prevent future leasing of natural gas extraction rights or drilling activities and that any future legislation can simply repeal this one. 

"I have no intention of allowing any drilling related activity on or under any of our parks. I fully support a move from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. But I won't make decisions for those future officials, and neither should council. I will veto this bill when it reaches me," he said on Twitter."

Allegheny County Council can override a veto if it gets a veto-proof majority of 10 votes.

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