State lawmakers Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation which
calls for tougher penalties against individuals or groups
committing eco-terrorism.

The law – House Bill 213 – is pertinent to this region. Four
years ago, the secretive extremist group Earth Liberation Front
(ELF) claimed responsibility for firebombing the U.S. Forest
Service’s forestry sciences laboratory near Buckaloons in the
Allegheny National Forest. The actual identities of the
perpetrators has never been resolved.

“We have had unfortunate situations in the past where radical
environmentalists have shut down logging operations,” state Rep.
Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, said. “This bill gives law
enforcement more tools to fight this crime.”

Causer was joined in supporting the legislation by state Rep.
Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, whose 65th Legislative District lies within
the boundaries of the forest. Both are up for re-election this
year.

The lawmakers said while the bill calls for stiffer penalties
against those who perpetrate eco-terrorism – including against
logging, oil and gas drilling, mining and farming – it does allow
for peaceful protests. The amount of each of those activities has
sharply increased across McKean, Cameron, Potter and Elk counties
over the past few years.

Disputes between environmentalists and the Forest Service have
been bitter over the past decade and have often lead to legal
action taken by both parties over logging on the forest.
Environmentalists believe the Forest Service is mismanaging the
harvest of black cherry trees on the forest, claiming the agency
makes decisions in secret.

“With domestic terrorism on the rise, eco-terrorism has become a
serious concern,” Rapp said. “This law would bring together
penalties against those convicted of crimes against industries
vital to our local economy.”

Officials said the legislation, introduced by state Rep. Robert
Godshall, R-Montgomery, is modeled after similar laws in Ohio,
which defines eco-terrorism as the use, threat or violence against
animal or plant activities or natural resources in order to
intimidate the government or the civilian population for political
or social needs.

According to Causer, the penalty against those perpetrating
eco-terrorism is essentially one degree higher than is currently
contained in the state crimes code, and ranges from a misdemeanor
to a felony.

For example, according to the bill summary, a first-degree
felony would result in a prison sentence of not more than 40 years
and a fine of under $100,000. The individual or group would also be
required to pay restitution – up to triple the value of property
damages – to the person who suffered the brunt of the crime.

The legislation also provides laws against such offenses as
arson, institutional or agricultural vandalism, crop destruction,
burglary, criminal trespass, theft, tampering with fire equipment
and hydrants and harming animals used for agricultural
purposes.

“This is something needed in all parts of the state,” Causer
said. “While environmentalists have a right to protest, they don’t
have the right to illegally obstruct a logging company from doing
its work.”

In addition to the firebombing of the national forest research
facility, ELF and the Animal Liberation Front, also claimed
responsibility for destroying a mink farm near Erie.

The legislation follows on a similar bill introduced by state
Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, in 2002.

Supporting the House are the Pennsylvania Forest Products
Association, veterinarians, the pharmaceutical and biotech
industries, as well as Penn State and Temple universities and the
universities of Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh.

The legislation passed the House by a 188 to 6 vote and will now
be sent to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature.