I encourage all State College residents to vote yes Nov. 8 for the two-part Home Rule Charter amendments that would establish a Community Bill of Rights for the Environment, reflecting words contained in Section 27, Article 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution and prohibiting drilling for natural gas in State College borough.
The first part reflects the deep connection all Pennsylvanians have with the commonwealth’s natural resources. The second part underscores another core value: the right of each municipality to decide local issues for itself. Besides, just think of the chaos and expense if our water, sewer and gas lines were subjected to the potential impacts of fracking!
State College is becoming green. In 2007 we became a Climate Protection Community, adopting a series of sustainability goals; we have long been a Tree City USA; currently our community is embracing a proposal to greatly expand our recycling program to include all organic waste.
The volunteers who collected 1,000 signatures to place the proposal on the ballot were a coalition of people including nonstudents, students, retirees and young professionals. Passing these two amendments is not just good for the environment, it bodes well for our community’s future.
Elizabeth Goreham State College
The writer is mayor of State College.
