COMMONWEALTH OF 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

December 18,. 2014

Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition
33 Mapleseed Drive"
Dallas, 18612

- Dear Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition:

In 2007, an executive order issued by then-Govemor Rendell established an Of?ce of Homeland Security
(OHS) within the Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). OHS was dissolved by an
executive order issued by Governor Corbett in February 2012 and is no longer part of PEMA. In the
same executive order, Governor Corbett established a newly constituted OHS, which reports to the

~Governor?s Of?ce.

During 2010, before my appointment as the Director of PEMA in January 2011, I understand that OHS
and its then-Director, James F. Powers, Jr., caused to be distributed to numerous parties certain
information about the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition (GDAC) that was unreliable and incorrect. The
distribution of this information through an OHS contractor, the Institute of Terrorism Research and
Response (ITRR), was discontinued in 2010, and then-Governor Rendell accepted the resignation of Mr.
Powers as a consequence of this activity. I 

As a result of the distribution of this ?awed information by Mr. Powers and ITRR in 2010, GDAC claims
to have suffered harm and brought suit against Mr. Powers and others, including PEMA as the agency in
which the now-dissolved OHS was housed. GDAC and agreed to an amicable settlement

of that litigation.

. As the Current Director of PEMA, I can state unequivocally and I assure the public that this agency
has no information or reason to believe that GDAC at any time in the past or currently could be fairly
characterized as a ?terrorist organization,? as OHS and ITRR stated or implied in material that they I
distributed in 2010. PEMA has no reason to doubt representations that it has done nothing more
than engage in the exercise of its rights guaranteed by the United States and constiurtions.

As an agency of the Commonwealth government, PEMA ?illy supports and defends ?-eedom of speech
and assembly as fundamental rights of every American and Please be assured that, during
my tenure as Director beginning in January 2011, PEMA at all times has conducted its business in a
manner that fully respects the constitutional rights of all, and the dedicated men and women of this
organization are committed to doing so in the future. 

Sincerely,

  {fins?rah,"

Glenn M. Cannon, Esq. .
Director, PA Emergency Management Agency

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
2605 Interstate Drive Harrisburg. PA 17110 717.651.2007 I Fax 717.851.2040 m.pema.state.pa.us