DCNR to Open State Forest Land
For Natural Gas Leases
The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources plans to open six tracts of land in state forests for natural gas leases.
The 32,000 acres in Cameron, Potter, Clearfield, Tioga and Clinton counties was picked after a year of environmental reviews. The land is in the Elk, Moshannon, Sproul, Susquehannock and Tioga State Forests.
DCNR Spokeswoman Chris Novak says the reviews are "meant to protect the health of the forest now and in the future."
She said they look at ways to avoid wild and natural areas as well as vistas. She added that they try to make use of existing pipelines and roads.
She says parts of the land cannot be developed in order to "protect wild or natural areas, water bodies, certain types of recreational opportunities."
Novak says only a small portion of the total acreage would be used for actual well site location.
State Senator Mary Jo White, chairwoman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee she is pleased that the department moved quickly to implement an important part of the budget and is hopeful the offering will be successful.
White also noted, in a news release, that responsible development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves was critical to avoiding a personal income tax increase as part of the recently passed budget.
The 32,000 acres in Cameron, Potter, Clearfield, Tioga and Clinton counties was picked after a year of environmental reviews. The land is in the Elk, Moshannon, Sproul, Susquehannock and Tioga State Forests.
DCNR Spokeswoman Chris Novak says the reviews are "meant to protect the health of the forest now and in the future."
She said they look at ways to avoid wild and natural areas as well as vistas. She added that they try to make use of existing pipelines and roads.
She says parts of the land cannot be developed in order to "protect wild or natural areas, water bodies, certain types of recreational opportunities."
Novak says only a small portion of the total acreage would be used for actual well site location.
State Senator Mary Jo White, chairwoman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee she is pleased that the department moved quickly to implement an important part of the budget and is hopeful the offering will be successful.
White also noted, in a news release, that responsible development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves was critical to avoiding a personal income tax increase as part of the recently passed budget.
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