Pa. to pay $40K to anti-drilling group over listing as potential terror threat

Associated Press

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.

The state of Pennsylvania agreed to pay about $40,000 to an anti-gas drilling group that was erroneously characterized in security bulletins as a potential terror threat.

The settlement terms between the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition were released Friday. The Associated Press obtained the document through an open-records request.

The coalition’s lawsuit said the bulletins characterized the group as a possible threat to infrastructure without evidence. A private contractor produced the reports under a one-year, $103,000 contract.

Then-Gov. Ed Rendell later apologized for the monitoring of peaceful citizens’ groups, and his homeland security director resigned. The institute’s contract was not renewed.