DEP layoffs

[bikerfish]

just heard on the news that rendell is laying off about 300 DEP employees, what a coincidence that the DEP oversees gas drilling. known fact old Ed supports drilling, saying how many jobs it creates. think he picked on the DEP just to ensure more wells get drilled to pump up his political ego??
on a good note, also heard the fish and boat commission will monitor drilling sites, making frequent inspections to ensure things are being done right. they better not tell Ed what they're up to!!

 

[tomgamber]

(Harrisburg) -- Three hundred and nineteen commonwealth employees will be laid off by the end of the week, and "about a third" of the cuts will be midstate-based employees -- according to Administration Secretary Naomi Wyatt. The moves are the result of reduced spending in this year's state budget. Cuts are being made in ten different agencies, but the Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will be hardest-hit. Wyatt says 138 DEP and 85 PHMC employees will lose their jobs. "Furloughed employees’ last day of work will be Friday, November 20th," she says. "Employees will be given ten days of administrative leave, so their last day on the commonwealth payroll will be December 4th." The cuts will save $7.9 million this fiscal year. Services are being scaled back, as well. DEP has eliminated grants for West Nile Virus spraying in 36 counties. The state museum in Harrisburg will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and services will be discontinued at several historic sites, including Washington Crossing Historic Park. Seven hundred and sixty-nine state employees have now been laid off this year.

 

[Acristickid]

According to this article from the Post-Gazette today none of DEP works in the Gas-Oil area will not be effected.

None of the cuts will come in the department's oil and gas program, where the state recently raised fees to pay for 37 new hires to do permitting and inspection work on hundreds of new wells tapping into the Marcellus shale, a deep rock formation underlying three-fourths of the state and attracting widespread drilling interest.

State Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, said the DEP layoffs could have been avoided had the Rendell administration backed a severance tax on Marcellus drilling as part of the state budget.

"The revenue the state could have raised with a severance tax or fee -- which ever other major natural-gas drilling state already has -- could have gone a long way to supporting DEP's staff and mission," he said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09321/1014044-454.stm#ixzz0X7piUCR2

 

[tomgamber]

Good deal at least for that I guess.

 

[whheff]

Hi All,
I am new to this site and joined because of great post on conservation. I saw the layoff report on the news too and was worried that this is the wrong time to and place to make these cuts.

I think Rendell is pushing for table games for gambling and may be using this as a way to get the bill passed. Just my opinion but that bill keeps coming up every time we need more money.

Any way glad to be here!

 

[bikerfish]

well that's good news for now.
welcome to the site whheff!!