The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors claims its stance is still neutral on Senate Bill 1413, despite a news release e-mailed to The Herald stating that the organization recently announced opposition to the bill.

The bill, initially created to protect the rights of farmers, is considered by some as a limit on local government power, especially over regulation of delivery and spreading of treated waste in rural areas, including Jackson Township in Mercer County.

The release, which was forwarded to The Herald by state Rep. Camille "Bud" George's office, came from the e-mail address of Thomas Linzey. George is the Democratic chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Linzey is a lawyer with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, an environmental activist group in the state, said Elam Herr, assistant executive director of the supervisors association.

"There's nothing on our letterhead yet. We are still neutral," Herr said, adding that the association will remain so while working on a possible amendment to the bill with its co-sponsors, among them Sen. Robert D. "Bob" Robbins, Salem Township, R-50th District.

"We're still working on an amendment to address the penalties of the bill," Herr said. "The rest of the bill is already present law."

"Mr. Linzey or any other group does not speak for the PSATS," said Herr, who believes that a statement by PSATS president Keith Hite in the news release was taken out of context.

According to the e-mailed release, the quote was from a letter Hite wrote in May to the Haines Township supervisors in Centre County. It reads in part:

"The board has completed its analysis of the bill and has decided to push for an amendment to the bill to eliminate or lessen its penalty provisions. We have developed the appropriate language in accordance with the board's direction and forwarded it to the House of Representatives for its consideration. In the absence of any such an amendment, PSATS will oppose the bill."

Linzey wrote that the supervisors association and Herr are "trying to have it both ways." "(They) are assuring their township members that they're opposing the bill, while for public purposes trying to state that they are remaining neutral, to please the Farm Bureau -- the primary advocate for the bill," Linzey said. "The bill has not been amended as of this date ... In this letter, PSATS takes a position on the bill -- that they would not support the bill as written, but only with a substantial amendment."

Herr agreed that if an amendment is not created, the association could change its stance, but insisted that the group remains neutral while negotiations continue.

"The bill (which is now in the state house of representatives) hasn't moved yet, so we have some time," Herr said.