On June 14, 2013 the PA Democratic Party State Committee meeting in Lancaster, PA passed a resolution in support of a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) .
Opposing the resolution was Vice-Chair of the PA Democratic Party, Penny Gerber.
"This bill as it currently stands says it is a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, but it specifies that the moratorium will last until the practice can be done safely. Because no set period of time is provided it truly is a ban on fracking, and this is a thriving industry. It is for that reason I cannot support this bill," she said.
In addition to being the Vice-Chair, Gerber is also an Associate at Ceisler Media & Advocacy. In her position she specializes in grass roots work.
Gerber
is from Montgomery County where the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a
six-year moratorium for drilling in the South Newark
Basin last year. The South Newark
Basin moratorium states
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will not issue
drilling permits until the Department of Natural Conservation and Natural
Resources (DNCNR) is able to study the area. The South
Newark Basin
moratorium also includes Bucks, Berks, and Chester counties.
CEISLER A LITTLE GASSY
Ceisler's clients include: Chesapeake Energy, Reliant Energy, and Spectra Energy -- all with interests in the Marcellus Shale.
In May 2012, the city of Philadelphia hired a team of advisors to help sell off the Philadelphia Gas Works. Philadelphia hired the law firm Kleinbard, Bell & Brecker as a lobbyist and Ceisler Media as communications consultant, each to receive $30,000 through the end of June, when the contracts will need to be renewed in the new fiscal year.
The website PoliticsPA is co-owned by Keegan Gibson and is intended to be a one-stop shop for political junkies in Pennsylvania.
In addition to his editorial responsibilities, Gibson also sells ads for the site, and his compensation is tied in part to the site's revenue as well. That arrangement does not affect his approach to coverage, he said. Among the site's current advertisers are Urban and Ceisler's own firms, the Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association, and conservative activist Scott Wagner.
Other Co-Owners:
- Larry Ceisler, Ceisler Media LLC
- Jeff Jubelirer, Jubelirer Strategies
- David Urban, David Metzner and Shawn Smeallie, American Continental Group
Articles in PAPolitics about
the issue of natural gas is somewhat a mixed bag between leaning towards the
promotion natural gas and weak attempts at a "fair and balanced" approach to
reporting both sides. (See latest
article: Gas
Industry Bullish on PA Jobs Estimate).
Julelirer Stategies blogged on
October 2012: Playing
Offense in a Defensive World about
the need to "put out the news with your take" and used the Marcellus Shale as
an example.
"". there's the burgeoning Marcellus Shale and natural gas industry in our state. Reporters are thirsty for new information about this industry, so your opportunity to be of value is great. Be a special team superstar by being ready when you get the call or, in public relations language, being available to the media at all times and answering or returning their calls, even if you don't have the answers that they may be looking for from you.
INTERESTING SIDE NOTE
Former PA Senator Rick
Santorum received $65,000 in consulting fees from American
Continental Group (a Washington Lobbying group) as well as $142,500 from
Consol Energy.
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