Crime: Causing or risking catastrophe

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This Pennsylvania law was designed to prevent a flood catastrophe.   Could it apply to the atmosphere?  Melting causes flooding.  Could any carbon energy company be complicit?darkdawncropss.jpg

The law, as I read it, is fairly direct and understandable

It reads:

3302. Causing or risking catastrophe.

    (a) Causing catastrophe.--A person who causes a catastrophe by explosion, fire, flood, avalanche, collapse of building, release of poison gas, radioactive material or other harmful or destructive force or substance, or by any other means of causing potentially widespread injury or damage, including selling, dealing in or otherwise providing licenses or permits to transport hazardous materials in violation of 75 Pa.C.S. Ch. 83 (relating to hazardous materials transportation), commits a felony of the first degree if he does so intentionally or knowingly, or a felony of the second degree if he does so recklessly.

    (b) Risking catastrophe.--A person is guilty of a felony of the third degree if he recklessly creates a risk of catastrophe in the employment of fire, explosives or other dangerous means listing in subsection (a) of this section.

3303. Failure to prevent catastrophe.

    A person who knowingly or recklessly fails to take reasonable measures to prevent or mitigate a catastrophe, when he can do so without substantial risk to himself, commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if:

       1. he knows that he is under an official, contractual or other legal duty to take such measures; or
       2. he did or assented to the act causing or threatening the catastrophe.

_______________________________________

http://law.onecle.com/pennsylvania/crimes-and-offenses/00.033.001.000.html

http://www.aopc.org/OpPosting/Superior/out/a25035_05.pdf


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