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Shale bill pleases Corbett

Its regulations would supersede local laws - just as the governor wanted.

Gov. Corbett reached out to legislators and local leaders on the shale drilling issue, his staff said. (DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer)
Gov. Corbett reached out to legislators and local leaders on the shale drilling issue, his staff said. (DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer)Read more

HARRISBURG - The Republican-drafted Marcellus Shale bill that sped through a House committee last week includes a controversial component the governor lobbied for - but you won't be hearing about it from him.

"This bill contains many of the provisions contained in our proposal, and I am pleased to see the legislature working toward a final bill," Gov. Corbett proclaimed in a statement after the House Finance Committee ushered through a gas-drilling impact fee and regulation measure Wednesday.

As he applauded the action, lawmakers were fending off the backlash to an administration-drafted provision stating that, under the measure, all local rules for oil and gas operations would be superseded by state regulations.

Township officials decried the provision. Activists in communities that have adopted ordinances governing drilling activity fired off e-mails to legislators and reporters.

Calls to Corbett's office regarding the shale measure drew a reiteration of his stance: He supports uniform, consistent applications of the rules throughout the state.

"He's been clear on what he's looking for," said spokesman Eric Shirk. "Discussions are ongoing."

While his staff says there's been outreach to legislators on top policy issues, there won't be signs of that on your nearest television. His salesmanship is much more targeted - and involves fewer appeals to voters at large - than his media-savvy predecessor.

"We became used to Gov. [Ed] Rendell's approach to policy: Every time he had a new thought, he had a press conference," said Rep. Dave Reed (R., Indiana), who is chairman of the House GOP policy committee. "The governor has a different approach."

Credit Corbett, at least, with truth in advertising: he campaigned last year as the non-Rendell, the opposite of the extraverted Democrat who served before him. Aside from his successful aim of decreasing the state budget, that's been demonstrated most clearly by his lack of thumping the bully pulpit.

"The governor's style of salesmanship isn't above-the-fold photos," said Patrick Henderson, Corbett's energy adviser. He said Corbett has talked up his shale plan privately with legislators and local officials.

On policy matters, the GOP chief executive has followed a path of seek information, sort through, speak - then duck from the spotlight again.

On gas drilling, he formed a task force to study the issue. After its report, more than two 2 months elapsed before he fully responded to its 96 recommendations.

That response took the form of a carefully produced news conference, with a bullet-point outline and drilling-pad workers in the audience.

No draft legislation was revealed to the public. And he's offered little further elaboration, acknowledging that legislators are pondering their own proposals and that he'll be in touch with them.

"It's clearly now a style - it's not just a couple of examples," said Muhlenberg College political scientist Chris Borick. "It's got its value in the sense that you don't attach yourself so completely to an issue that it comes to dominate you."

Part of that, says Borick, reflects Corbett's past as a prosecutor, when it was his duty to keep views and information close to the vest.

Lobbyist David W. Patti of the Pennsylvania Business Council said Corbett's push for preemption of local drilling rules has required some cajoling that doesn't work as well under the public's eye.

"He's trying to keep those different players still playing with one another in the sandbox," Patti said.

Corbett's style may also stem from his campaign pledge to hike no taxes, suggested Borick. "Once he said those things, he owned it, and that position turned out to be untenable," he said. "He drew a line in the sand with the pledge, and he hasn't drawn a lot of lines since."

Corbett ran at a time when there was a growing view in Harrisburg that the General Assembly, after two years' failed attempts, should assess some sort of tax or fee on drillers. Proposals sprang up.

When he did speak out, it was to push a drilling fee - as well as regulatory changes and incentives for using natural gas.

"The process was a little more lengthy than a lot of folks would have liked," Rep. Reed said. "But the governor speaking on it made a significant impact."

Democrats like Rep. Dan Frankel of Allegheny County disagree, saying Corbett should be less cautious, particularly in pushing for a Marcellus Shale measure. "They're going to need Democratic votes," Frankel said.

Pushing to supersede local zoning rules isn't winning over Frankel and other Democrats. And Corbett may still need to sway some GOP lawmakers to get the 102 votes needed for passage.

"I can propose all the legislation in the world I want - I can't pass it," he acknowledged recently. "I can sign it. I can certainly hope that they move on it and I think that they are moving on it."