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Forest drilling study focuses on 6 'significant' issues |
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Written by Publisher
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Tuesday, 28 April 2009 |
Photo by Ted Lutz
Chris Stovic of Kane speaks Monday at a meeting on the development of a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for oil and gas drilling in the Allegheny National Forest. Stovic raised concerns about the impact of drilling on water quality.
By Ted Lutz
Republican Staff
NORTH WARREN -- A supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) on oil and gas drilling in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) at this point will focus on six "significant" issues.
Outlined Monday by the U.S. Forest Service at its ANF headquarters in North Warren, the preliminary issues include:
•Water quality.
•Visual resources.
•Hours of operation or seasonal operating restrictions.
•Drilling activities in the Marcellus shale.
•Restoration and reclamation.
•Fragmentation that affects habitat.
More than 50 attended the Forest Service briefing on the status of the SEIS, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the year as an addendum to the Forest Plan adopted in 2007.
The SEIS is one of two environmental studies now under way on oil and gas drilling in the 513,000-acre ANF.
The Forest Service also is preparing a forest-wide site specific environmental analysis that will hold up consideration of new plans for drilling for at least a year.
The draft of the SEIS is expected to include four alternatives, including two that create a clash between the oil and gas industry and the anti-drillers.
The "no action" alternative, which by law must be listed, calls for using oil and gas guidelines from the 1986 Forest Plan. A second alternative calls for using "standards and guidelines" from the 2007 Forest Plan.
Alternative 3 adds rules favored by the anti-drillers, while alternative 4 deletes or reduces regulations facing the oil and gas industry.
The "significant" issues slated to be addressed in the SEIS reflect comments contained in 48 individual letters and a form letter. The Forest Service asked for the comments when it announced earlier this year that it would prepare a separate SEIS on oil and gas development to augment the 2007 Forest Plan.
A draft of the SEIS is expected to be released July 10 when a 90-day public comment period begins. The next public meetings on the SEIS are slated July 20-22.
U.S. Rep. Glenn (GT) Thompson (R-Centre County), one of the speakers Monday, said that the production of oil and gas is the "economic engine" for the area.
He said there is a "need to operate" wells in the ANF where private companies own 93 percent of the subsurface mineral rights,
Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten and Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon and Bradford District Ranger Tony Scardina conducted the two-hour meeting.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 12 June 2009 )
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