FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
JEFF SCHMIDT
(717) 232-0101
SIERRA CLUB RESPONDS TO THE FIRING OF DIRECTOR OF PA STATE PARK SYSTEM
STATEMENT OF JEFF SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR, SIERRA CLUB PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER
"Sierra Club condemns the firing of Pennsylvania's State Parks Director John Norbeck by the Corbett administration. Mr. Norbeck has dedicated more than 30 years of his professional life to protecting public lands. We are concerned that the Corbett administration sacked Mr. Norbeck for resisting its plans to compromise our public lands for short-term commercial gain. .
We now know that DCNR is planning to open our award-winning State Park system to commercial timbering, surface mining, and gas drilling. Mr. Norbeck worked to limit these activities, and he has now paid the price by losing his job, while trying to defend our public lands from exploitation.
We are concerned that the Corbett administration will replace more dedicated conservation professionals in DCNR with political cronies that have no experience managing public lands. These political appointments can pave the way for the mining, timber and natural gas industries to invade and exploit our precious parks and forests with impunity. We don't think that campaign contributions to Gov. Corbett should drive policy decisions to overturn long-standing protections of our parks and forests.
We urge the Corbett Administration to halt its purge of conservation professionals.
We urge the General Assembly to investigate the firing of Mr. Norbeck to determine whether any improper actions occurred."
Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette news article provides new details regarding John Norbeck's firing: http://pipeline.post-gazette.com/news/archives/24835-pennsylvania-parks-director-says-he-was-forced-out-by-corbett-administration
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
JEFF SCHMIDT
(717) 232-0101
SIERRA CLUB RESPONDS TO THE FIRING OF DIRECTOR OF PA STATE PARK SYSTEM
STATEMENT OF JEFF SCHMIDT, DIRECTOR, SIERRA CLUB PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER
"Sierra Club condemns the firing of Pennsylvania's State Parks Director John Norbeck by the Corbett administration. Mr. Norbeck has dedicated more than 30 years of his professional life to protecting public lands. We are concerned that the Corbett administration sacked Mr. Norbeck for resisting its plans to compromise our public lands for short-term commercial gain. .
We now know that DCNR is planning to open our award-winning State Park system to commercial timbering, surface mining, and gas drilling. Mr. Norbeck worked to limit these activities, and he has now paid the price by losing his job, while trying to defend our public lands from exploitation.
We are concerned that the Corbett administration will replace more dedicated conservation professionals in DCNR with political cronies that have no experience managing public lands. These political appointments can pave the way for the mining, timber and natural gas industries to invade and exploit our precious parks and forests with impunity. We don't think that campaign contributions to Gov. Corbett should drive policy decisions to overturn long-standing protections of our parks and forests.
We urge the Corbett Administration to halt its purge of conservation professionals.
We urge the General Assembly to investigate the firing of Mr. Norbeck to determine whether any improper actions occurred."
Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette news article provides new details regarding John Norbeck's firing: http://pipeline.post-gazette.com/news/archives/24835-pennsylvania-parks-director-says-he-was-forced-out-by-corbett-administration
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