Here's a Bad Idea: Drilling for Gas Under State Forests.

By Steve Hvozdovich, Marcellus Shale Campaign Manager Governor Corbett wants to open our state forests to drilling…because. Are you kidding me? Reopening Pennsylvania’s state forests to new gas development is short sighted and threatens both the environmental and economic benefits our forests provide. Yet during his 2014 State of the State address Governor Tom Corbett proposed doing just that. He wants to do this not only to balance a one time budget gap, but because “there’s a huge amount of gas under state parks and forests, and I don’t believe in leaving it there.” Pennsylvania state forests are recreational gems and leading drivers of our tourism economy. Our state forests consist of more than 2.2 million acres of pristine wilderness that are home to a variety of animals and offer opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding. Former Governor Ed Rendell put in place a moratorium on further leasing of our state forests in 2010 because he determined that more forest drilling would “jeopardize fragile ecosystems.” The public agrees with him. Recent polls by Mercyhurst University and Franklin and Marshall College found that nearly 70% of Pennsylvanians opposed additional gas development in state forests. Governor Corbett’s proposal is an affront to the wishes of Pennsylvanians. There is no such thing as no-impact drilling. Even proximity to drilling puts our forests at risk. Pollution respects no boundaries. Accidents from natural gas drilling operations like spills of toxic wastewater, explosions, and methane migration have already occurred across the Commonwealth. Additional drilling will mean noise and light disturbance from heavy machinery, seismic exploration, construction of new roads and pipelines, and increased truck traffic.  These potential dangers and activities increase the risk of upsetting the natural habitat of animals, disrupting the peace that is associated with enjoying nature and threatening the health of nearby families. The Commonwealth has leased nearly half of the 1.5 million acres of forest that overlays the Marcellus shale. According to a 2010 study by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), all of the unleased forest land is in ecologically sensitive areas or cannot be accessed without cutting through ecologically sensitive areas.  According to former DCNR Deputy Secretary John Quigley, the Rendell administration scoured the state forest for tracts that were not ecologically sensitive and could still be leased. “We found all the needles in the haystack at that time, said Quigley. I don't know where there are additional tracts like that.” Our state forests were established as sacred places for the enjoyment of all and the conservation of the natural environment—not as future industrial sites used to fill short term revenue needs. We need to preserve these places for future generations as they were preserved in the past for us. On Tuesday, February 25^th we will be holding a rally in Harrisburg to tell Governor Corbett and the legislature not frack our forests.