USFS Explains Drilling Policy

Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten and Bradford District Ranger Tony Scardina (and Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon, not pictured) spoke to a crowd of more than 150 people Tuesday night at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

Marten explained that, because of the recent settlement of a lawsuit, the forest service will go ahead with "notices to proceed" for 54 drilling packages submitted before an unofficial three-month moratorium on new drilling was imposed on the Allegheny National Forest.

She said the settlement has given back to her the responsibility of issuing notices to drillers. Early this year, the responsibility was shifted from Marten to the Forest Service regional office in Milwaukee.

She says the notices should be given within the next 10 days, although some operators still need to pay timber fees at their sites and get other permits before they can drill.

As part of the agreement, the rest of the oil and gas development proposals would have to undergo some level of scrutiny under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).