In what’s being viewed as a symbolic move with little traction, a Democratic lawmaker in Pennsylvania has introduced a bill calling for an “open-ended” ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state until it can be fully studied.

On Tuesday, Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Pittsburgh) introduced SB 1100, which calls for a statewide moratorium on fracking until a seven-member panel called the Well Drilling Study Commission can examine the practice and make recommendations.

“Since the advent of the shale gas industry in Pennsylvania, I have advocated for a more cautious approach to natural gas extraction from our precious natural resources,” Ferlo said Wednesday. “We have seen the damage wrought by careless oil and gas drilling companies on our land, water, air, property, families, and livelihoods.

“I have introduced this bill because Pennsylvanians and gas field residents all over the country have been forced to stand by and watch these infractions, and we must take a step back to deliberately and thoughtfully direct our path into the future.”

According to reports, Ferlo acknowledged that Republican Gov. Tom Corbett would likely veto SB 1100 if it got to his desk. Chances of the bill advancing even that far appear remote since both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly are controlled by Republicans.

Last June, a group of Pennsylvania Democrats approved a resolution calling for a moratorium on fracking in the state (see Shale Daily, June 24). The resolution was approved by a 115-81 vote at a state Democratic Committee meeting in Lancaster, PA.

Politicians in Pennsylvania have also recently renewed a long-running debate over whether the state should enact a severance tax on natural gas. U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Jenkintown), a Democratic candidate for governor in 2014, supports a severance tax, as does the nonpartisan Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (see Shale Daily, Sept. 9; Sept. 6).