You've been misinformed if you think you can impose laws on the City without informing us of what they are. You're not -- that's not your purpose -- that is not the reason we elected you. You're here to represent the citizens of the City of Philadelphia, and you're not properly doing this. If you don't care to look into my problem, that's your problem. I'm asking you to look into my problem, see what it is. No one seems to care. I'm telling you what it is, and you should at least give me the respect to tell me that you would look into it and get back to me on that.
Thank you for your time. Evidently you don't care to listen.
Excuse me. Excuse me. If you would check with a member of the staff and tell them what it is that you wanted to speak about, maybe there's something we can look into. I just don't know what it is that you wanted to speak about. Thank you. Our next speaker?
Let me help you with my name. It's Iwanka Kultschyckyi, and I am a resident of Philadelphia and a taxpayer. I am also a bit under the weather, like most of all of you. So good morning. And I am a student of Community College of Philadelphia. I not only support the passage of Councilman Jones' Resolution 100864, but I am also reading a letter from Mark Schmerling, a documentary photographer, to the Delaware River Basin Commissioners dated January 26th, 2011. It reads as follows: Dear Commissioners, my purpose in writing to you is simple: To implore you to continue the moratorium against Marcellus Shale gas drilling in the entire river basin. The reasons are many and serious. As a documentary photographer, I have already learned about the widespread contamination of both groundwater and drinking water wells from the entire cycle of coal. In my travels to Southwest Pennsylvania to meet with residents negatively impacted by the consequences of drilling or being sickened by toxins emitted from recently constructed nearby compressor stations, it is shocking that our elected officials have let this predatory industry into my beloved state. I challenge you to show me a more precious resource than pure groundwater. I've seen the lines of trucks driven by workers who have invaded these rural areas, the menacing drill rigs and pads. I've met individuals whose blood contained phenol and benzene from living near compressor stations. I've witnessed the awful chemical stench from one such station, just part of the immense infrastructure that is turning some of our Edens into wastelands. I've met landowners whose cattle have died and/or delivered stillborn calves from the adults having drank water contaminated by the drilling. Arsenic and other heavy metals have infiltrated drinking water wells and water used by cattle. Surviving beef cattle eat but don't gain the normal weight. I've seen black water in a family's toilet tank, water which one PA DEP representative didn't think was tainted. This much is certain: We got along without gas from any of these deep shale deposits. We can continue getting along without it. Prolonging our fossil fuel addiction, when renewable energy is so much more healthful and produces greater and sustained employment, produces energy for the United States as opposed to huge amounts of both coal and gas being shipped abroad, is criminally irresponsible.
Excuse me. Your testimony is really quite interesting, but your time is up, so I would ask you to conclude your statement, please.
The letter reads on further, so may I finish at least four sentences?
Natural gas is not a bridge fuel. Relying on it only prevents us from rapidly transitioning to renewable energy sooner, with more jobs, better health, safer water for drinking and for wildlife, and fewer taxpayer subsidies. Keeping drillers out of state forests and similar land will help maintain our tourist industry, keep more jobs in forestry and in the hardwood industry. In addition, the cycle of natural gas drilling releases immense amounts of CO2. In the end, we ask that Council safeguard all of its citizens, the present and the future.
I've run into some people who I know here. I'm a retired City employee. I was in charge of the Cable Television Unit. I live in Center City Philadelphia.
I don't see the DROP issue on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. It is my sincere hope that before long that is an issue that we will be addressing, and I would certainly welcome you to come back at the appropriate time.
Well, let me say this: I understand the rules. I walked up here in the snow because you were in session, and I thought I was going to be able to speak. The DROP is -- there is a bill introduced. I know it's not on the final thing. I would like to have a minute to speak about DROP, because the City -- one minute and I'll shut up. I've worked for the City 26 years. These cameras that are here were put in by my office and that people who worked for me are the ones who operate it. But there has been three or four editorials about DROP in the Inquirer. It's a rip-off. It's cost $258 million, a quarter of a billion dollars. I'm not talking about just the politicians. No one should get four years pension and salary at the same time. It is a rip-off.
I am a chief party member, and we will be voting against you guys who are taking the money. Thank you.
My name is Austin Kelley. I reside in the City of Philadelphia. I'm going to read the concluding portions of Mark Schmerling's testimony. It is also evident that our environmental regulatory agencies have insufficient personnel and pitifully little mandate for most politicians to protect our environment and our health. It is no accident that former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney, a man whose dictionary excludes the term "conflict of interest," helped Congress jam through the so-called Halliburton Loophole in 2005 excluding the oil and gas industries from the major portions of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. If hydraulic fracturing is so safe, why is this? If it's so safe, why does legislation allow companies like Halliburton to hide the contents of the fluid? Those 596 ingredients don't include fresh vegetables, whole grain, pure water or even jelly doughnuts. I'll let you speak with Ron Gulla of Hickory, Washington County, PA whose farm was poisoned and hijacked by Range Resources. Ron has no place to live now, because his land, like that of others, is unfit for habitation. You can talk with Phyllis Carr of Southwest Fayette County who, along with her grandchildren, has become ill from the poisons coming off a nearby compressor station. You can talk with Wayne and Angel Smith of Clearville, Bedford County whose cattle have either died or have stunted growth, whose water contains arsenic only since a gas well and compressor station were constructed nearby. Or meet Sandy McDaniel, also of Clearville, who has suffered severe health problems from mercaptan, and who knows what else, coming from the same compressor station near her home. Or meet Terry Greenwood of Daisytown, Washington County. Terry and his wife bought their farm in 1988 and have never signed a lease for gas drilling. However, someone signed a lease in 1921 and the Greenwoods are suffering for it, with fields damaged for road building and with three of the farm's four water sources either poisoned or otherwise put out of commission. The drilling company provides some water, not the pure water the farm once produced, and not enough to keep the beef production going. Two years ago, Terry's cows delivered ten stillborn calves after the cows drank water coming off a well site on the farm. Or you can meet Steph Hallowich whose family has been sickened and their land and home made valueless by their proximity to a complex of wells, compressor stations and other legacies of this bridge-to-nowhere fuel. This, folks, is merely the very tip of the iceberg. This is what will happen in the Delaware River Basin if the moratorium is lifted. This is my drinking water potentially being poisoned and that of millions of other residents of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. We have the sun and the wind and the technology now to power our homes, cars and industries from them. Please do not let a greedy and corrupting industry bleed the life out of this magnificent resource and its millions of residents. I implore you to keep the current moratorium on Marcellus Shale gas drilling in the river basin. Go with science, not politics. And I'll simply add that a direct letter to the Delaware River Basin Commission affirming the need and the right for residents of this watershed down here to be able to publicly comment on these issues is imperative for the health of all of us. Thank you.
Good morning. I reside in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia. I own a Mercury-safe dental practice in the Roxborough area for over 25 years. I am here as a citizen of Philadelphia, but also a citizen of the State of Pennsylvania, because I do own a home in Sullivan County as well where there is fracking being done and well pads being put up all around my house. I first heard of this issue about two years ago. We resisted it because we did not want our water contaminated. It didn't matter. All the landowners around our property had sold gas leases and were putting well pads on, which was affecting not only our well water, but it was also affecting our roads. It was affecting the beauty of our area, the tourism that was coming up to Eagles Mere and using the lakes. People coming into the area were very affected by the site and the traffic of all the rigs and trucks that were going by, affecting the look of the sky. When I found that this was coming into Philadelphia as well, I found that people here just did not know about it. Most people have never heard of the Marcellus Shale in Philadelphia and don't know what the effects are to the drinking water. I have to say that when fracking started in our area of well pads that were in the thousand to 3,000 feet of our well water, the ink was not even dry on the leases when our well water was tested and there was already arsenic and chloride. This is within just weeks of fracking. I think that more needs to be done to inform the citizens of Philadelphia, how our water can be affected, because people have no idea of how our lives can be impacted by not having safe drinking water, water that's going to be used for baiting, for irrigating our crops. This is going to have a much greater effect than the energy crisis that we're in. And I would implore that this would get into the newspapers and the news stations daily so that people become more aware of this issue. This will affect our tourism in Philadelphia. It will affect higher education. People will not be wanting to send their children to the colleges that are in Philadelphia if the water is contaminated. These are things that are affecting all Philadelphians, but consider yourself at risk if you are not going to put a moratorium on this and have our great numbers of Philadelphia have an impact on the vote that goes on in this state so that our drinking water is not affected. Thank you. (Applause.)
Good morning. My name is Norma Van Dyke. I live in Center City. I join with others in thanking Councilman Jones and Blondell Reynolds Brown for their leadership in bringing the matter of fracking in the Marcellus Shale before this Council and for Council's strong response. As you've just heard from Iris Marie Bloom, on December 8th, the gas industry withdrew from a hearing scheduled with the Delaware River Basin Commission for January 18th. The hearing was scheduled to defend the appropriateness of the DRBC to regulate all exploratory gas wells and to challenge the inappropriateness of the possibility of 15 wells, gas wells, being drilled in the Delaware River Basin. By withdrawing in silence, the gas industry could not have made a louder confession that claims that fracking is benign are bogus. I hope this Council will demand that there be hearings here in Philadelphia on the pros and cons of fracking and what it's going to mean to our state. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to provide public comment on today's agenda?
Yes. My name is Janet Fishman. I live in Philadelphia. I'm a mother, and my son is 22. He has many lovely young friends. We're all healthy. If there's any chance that fracking could be a risk to health, that it would increase the rates of cancer that are rising all the time, I think even if there is a chance -- and I believe there's more than a chance -- it is worth a moratorium to have a careful study of the effects and to give us time to comment on it. Thank you.
Again I would ask, is there anyone else who wishes to provide public comment on today's agenda?
My name is Marjorie Laughlin and I am not a Philadelphia resident, but I am a taxpayer and a citizen of this great state. The moratorium that went into effect, according to the DEP and Representative Paul Clymer, was not to stop drilling. It was only to stop withdrawing water from the Delaware River. If this moratorium is successful in going through, which I pray it will, please make sure that the deep pockets of whoever writes the paperwork that gets submitted, that it is for stopping the drilling. That is critical.
Thank you very much. (Applause.) 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
Is there anyone else who wishes to provide testimony? (No response.)
Seeing none, we will now consider bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. I would ask the Chief Clerk to please read the title of Resolution No. 100864.
A resolution adopting the report issued by Council's Joint Committees on Transportation and Public Utilities and the Environment on the economic and environmental impacts that hydraulic drilling of Marcellus Shale will have on Philadelphia and the surrounding region.
Thank you, Madam President. I would like to offer an amendment to Resolution No. 100864. 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING The amendment would simply attach to the resolution the final report issued by the Joint Committee of Transportation and Public Utilities and the Environment with certain modifications. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council, and I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries, and, again, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you again, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Thank you. (Applause.)
The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 100 -
I'm sorry. I can't see it. The flag is in 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING the way.
Thank you very much. I just wanted to say that I do support the amended version of Resolution 100864. The amendments will change the two recommendations in the Committee's report directed at the Philadelphia Gas Works and the Philadelphia Gas Commission. The Gas Commission has notified City Council that it supports the report if the changes are made. The amendments to the report are intended to remove a potential conflict of state law. State law requires PGW and all other gas utilities in Pennsylvania to buy the least cost fuel when they purchase gas supply for their customers. If there is to be any 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING change in how this cost is calculated so that environmental impacts can be taken into consideration, that will require discussions with the State Public Utility Commission. PGW is not now buying, and has no immediate plans to buy, gas directly from the Marcellus Shale. PGW contracts for all its gas supply in the Gulf of Mexico region, and this is its cheapest source of gas right now. There are also no pipeline connections from PGW to the Marcellus Shale. Unless Marcellus gas becomes directly available to Philadelphia, is among the cheapest sources and is being delivered in a way that is in the public's best interest, PGW has stated it has no plans to buy it. This being the case, the Gas Commission did not direct, did not direct PGW not to buy any Marcellus Shale gas, nor would Philadelphia become the first city in the United States to refuse to buy Marcellus gas, as has been 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING incorrectly reported by some other media. Instead, the recommended amendments represent a responsible course of action on this issue, and the Commission met with Councilman Jones, made a presentation to the Commission, full discussion, because there are implications for PGW, and we came out unanimous in support of his report on behalf of the gas company.
Thank you. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution 100877.
A resolution Recognizing Vivian T. Miller for a Career of Service to the Citizens of Philadelphia in Her Roles as Community Organizer, Ward Leader and Philadelphia Clerk of Quarter Sessions.
The 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 100878.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract and disposition supplement of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment and 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING urban renewal of a portion of the Point Breeze Urban Renewal Area, designated as Parcel Nos. 103 and 104 and also sometimes identified by house addresses and street addresses for Parcel No. 103 as 1626 through 36 Federal Street and for Parcel No. 104 as 1218 through 28 South Seventeenth Street.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Resolution No. 100878 be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 100879.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Seventeenth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller for a motion.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. We will now consider Resolution No. 100880.
A resolution authorizing Council's Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless to hold hearings on the consequences of mass foreclosure in the Kensington and Port Richmond neighborhoods of rental properties owned by Landvest Limited Liability Company and related companies associated with Robert N. Coyle, Sr.
Thank you. 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 100881.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, without consideration, 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Seventh, Nineteenth and Thirty-Seventh Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The Chief Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 100079.
An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by adding a new Section 14-1640, entitled "Ridge Avenue Special District Controls."
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. The Chief Clerk will please call the roll.
Councilman DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Aye. 1/27/11 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The Chief Clerk will please read any additional resolutions on the Final Passage Calendar.
A resolution requesting that the Mayor return to Council Bill No. 100750, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Holy Family University, located at 4500 Grant Avenue, by allowing for the construction of a new administrative building," for the purpose of reconsideration by the vote by which said bill passed Council.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration at this time of special business relating to the re-call of Bill No. 100750.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion.
It has been moved and seconded. All in favor will indicate by (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Madam President, I move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration at this time of special business relating to the re-call of Bill No. 100750. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit consideration of special business at this time. All in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion passes. The Clerk will please read the letter from the Mayor.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am returning herewith, as requested by your resolution adopted January 27, 2011, Bill No. 100750, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Holy Family University," for the purpose of reconsideration by the Council of the vote by which said bill passed Council.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco for a motion that Council reconsider the vote by which Bill No. 100750 was passed.
The ayes have it. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the motion carries and the vote by which Bill No. 100750 was passed has been reconsidered. The bill will be placed on our Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council. That concludes our Calendar for today. Are there speeches on the part of the minority? (No response.)
Are there speeches on the part of the majority? Jones.
Because of the public comment. All that I would have said has been said far more eloquently than I could, but I would like to thank all members of Council for voting for the recommendations dealing with the Marcellus Shale fracking drilling issue. I want to thank particularly Councilwoman Tasco and her leadership at the Gas Works. She told me early on as a freshman, act in haste and you will repent in your leisure. And it was true then and it is true now. It is better when we consider public policy that has far-reaching ramifications well, and in those amendments, I think it best served not only the City of Philadelphia but the Gas Works in particular. Also, the Chair of the Committee on Council in Environment, Councilman Kenney, who worked with me on listening to six hours worth of testimony on this issue, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, who was a vanguard and leader on the issue of Marcellus Shale drilling and its impacts to our waterway, and just say that the criticism from the drilling industry is, A, that this is much to do about nothing, but if we could have turned back the clock and been a year before the Gulf spill and put some recommendations, simple recommendations, like early warning systems, reporting about the toxic stew that is used to ferret the gas from the earth, if we could have put those safeguards in place, if we could have known that an extraction tax could have paid for the billions of dollars worth of environmental cleanup in advance, those legislators then would have looked like geniuses today. So it doesn't mean earthshaking body pass this recommendation, but when we join our voices with our colleagues in New York, with our colleagues in Pittsburgh, I think that the coalition and those that are responsible for this type of drilling will get the message that we are paying attention, that we won't just sweep it under the rug, that ignoring the EPA regulations is wrong and that our grand-kids deserve better. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to mention that President Obama's eloquent speech on Tuesday night focused on things that we have been focused on in the City of Philadelphia for the past three years. He talked about making government more efficient through the use of technology. $125 million of capital dollars, which we have not yet spent, which can make this government more efficient through the use of technology and save $200 million a year after full implementation. He talked about having 98 percent of the country having wireless broadband available to the citizens of the United States, while we in the City of Philadelphia now own the assets of the former EarthLink network and can, within six months, have broadband wireless access available to every citizen of the City of Philadelphia at low or no cost using federal E9-1-1 and other dollars. And so I just want to see the City of Philadelphia lead the nation in what President Obama has asked us to do. We can do it in the City of Philadelphia, and we should. Since we have the resources, we've appropriated the money, make this happen here first and lead the nation and be an example for the rest of President Obama's requests and wishes for our nation. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Clarke for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Council stand adjourned until February the 3rd, 2011, 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The the motion carries. Thank you. (Stated Meeting adjourned at 12:20 p.m.) CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on January 27, 2011, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)