Background
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources administers Pennsylvania’s state parks and
forests.
1.5 million acres of forest sit atop the Marcellus Shale formation, and DCNR has leased out 700,000 acres of it for drilling. (130,000 of those acres were auctioned off during Governor Ed Rendell’s administration, before the Democrat instituted a moratorium on future leasing in the last year of his tenure.) A 2010 DCNR estimate predicts forests may host up to 1,000 well pads and 10,000 wells, once drilling is up to full capacity.
61 state parks are also located within the Marcellus Shale. Unlike the forests, Pennsylvania does not own the mineral rights for the vast majority of land underneath state parks. That means if the private landowners want to lease out their land for drilling, DCNR is required to provide “reasonable access” to energy companies. (Surface and mineral rights are sold separately under Pennsylvania law.)
Drilling in state forests is regulated by DCNR guidelines, in order to minimize damage to wildlife and intrusion on recreational hiking and camping.
Republican Governor Tom Corbett has overturned a Rendell-era executive order against leasing out more park land to drillers. He has said he’s against the state forest moratorium, but has yet to reverse it yet. A DCNR study put together in 2010 concludes the state can’t lease out any more land, without harming vulnerable or wild sections of state forests.
DCNR is headed by Secretary Richard Allan, who was confirmed by a unanimous state Senate vote in June 2011.
