Otten calls on legislature to ‘do better,’ votes against bill promoting fracking in Pennsylvania

EXTON, July 14 – State Rep. Danielle Friel-Otten today voted against legislation that would provide a state tax credit to petrochemical manufacturers, demanding that the General Assembly “do better” than giving away tax money to out-of-state companies putting their chemical refineries in Pennsylvania.

According to the Department of Revenue, if signed into law, H.B. 732 could result in $22 million in lost tax revenue per year, with giveaways to multinational corporations to expand plastics and petrochemical manufacturing in Pennsylvania. 

“When we talk about tax fairness, that conversation doesn’t include the people of Pennsylvania shouldering property tax hikes while petrochemical companies get kickbacks and sweetheart deals invented by the very politicians who have existed for decades on fossil fuel campaign contributions,” Otten said.

“This cycle must stop if we want to see any change in this state.”  

Otten also mentioned that the legislation goes against the strides that Pennsylvania has made in restoring and preserving residents’ health since the COVID-19 crisis began.

“Two weeks ago, Attorney General Josh Shapiro shared a grand jury report that specifically outlined how fracking can have severe impacts on human health, and now we are seeing how living with pollution-induced illness has compounded the impact of COVID-19 in frontline communities, disproportionately affecting communities of color.

“Not only is this investment in petrochemical expansion an untenable public health sacrifice, it is also a fiscally irresponsible investment in an industry that is under multiple criminal investigations and numerous civil actions, including a class action suit by its own investors with tumbling viability in the face of a tanking demand,” she said.

“When we know better, we must do better.”

Click here to watch Otten speak against H.B. 732 in the House chamber today.

For more information, contact Otten’s office at 484-200-8259.