Law and order digestMarcel

Lakes sewage rate increase denied HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently denied a rate increase request by Clean Treatment Sewage Company (CTSC). Clean Treatment Sewage Co. provides wastewater service to some 382 customers in the Marcel Lake Estates Community in Dingmans Ferry. Last June CTSC filed for a proposed $221,317 (72.7 percent) annual increase. Twenty-one customers filed formal complaints. The Commission found that the service provided to its customers is inadequate and unreasonable in that it fails to meet the quality and quantity of service that would justify a rate increase. CTSC’s customers currently are paying $68 a month for wastewater service. House passes moratorium on state land gas leases HARRISBURG — The PA House passed legislation last week that would put a three-year halt to natural gas drilling in state forest lands. The action, House Bill 2235, passed by a vote of 157-33. The legislation calls for a moratorium on leasing state forest lands for natural gas exploration, drilling or production, and for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to perform environmental impact studies. DCNR, based on environmental review, solely determines which state lands can be leased when the moratorium ends. Pennsylvania has currently leased 692,000 acres to natural gas drilling companies. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.