"The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday struck down portions of a law that stripped some of the powers municipalities have to decide where the booming natural gas industry can operate."

"HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday struck down portions of a law that stripped some of the powers municipalities have to decide where the booming natural gas industry can operate — portions that the industry had sought from Gov. Tom Corbett and lawmakers.

The justices ruled the 2012 law unconstitutionally restricted the power of municipalities, although the 4-to-2 majority disagreed as to why it was unconstitutional.

Seven municipalities challenged a law known as Act 13, which grew out of the state's need to modernize 20-year-old drilling laws to account for a Marcellus Shale drilling boom made possible by innovations in drilling and technology."

Marc Levy and Mark Scolforo report for the Associated Press December 19, 2013. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Pennsylvania Supreme Court Declares Portions of Shale-Drilling Law Unconstitutional" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) [3]

"Pennsylvania High Court Strikes Down Part of Fracking Law" (Bloomberg) [4]