Five Marcellus Shale Gas Wells Planned For ANF Lands

Documents from a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request by the Allegheny Defense Project (ADP) show that there are currently plans for five Marcellus Shale gas wells on the public lands of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF).

Three of the wells are planned by East Resources (Royal Dutch Shell) including,

1) one well in the Glad Run watershed,

2) a well on FR 444 in the Chaffee Run watershed (headwaters of the South Branch Of Tionesta Creek), and

3) one well in the Log Run watershed (East Branch of Millstone Creek).

Pennsylvania General Energy is planning

4) one well on Coalbed Run.

Hanley & Bird is planning

5) one well on Pine Run (headwaters of Big Mill Creek).

In addition to these five wells there are nine wells in the footprint of the ANF on private in-holdings or on State Gamelands (i.e., No. 28, and No. 24). There are a total of 92 Marcellus Shale gas wells in the four county area of the ANF, including Warren, Forest, McKean, and Elk counties. The image on the right links to a map that plots the Marcellus Shale gas well drilling sites with well and company data…Read More

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Drilling Continues! We Need You for Forest Watch Action!

FR 219 No NEPA. Area 15

It’s spring! In the Allegheny National Forest this means oil and gas drillers will continue drilling thousands more oil and gas wells, and cutting hundreds of miles of new roads into an already heavily fragmented forest. We need your help! Because of a very bad decision last December in the Federal District Court of Western Pennsylvania (Minard Run Oil Company et al. v. USFS et al.), which enjoined a settlement reached in our lawsuit (FSEEE, Sierra Club, and ADP v. USFS), this destruction is moving forward without environmental analysis or public input while we appeal the disappointing decision to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Choose a threatened area in the Allegheny National Forest to monitor:

We recommend that you choose one of the TEIS Areas listed HERE (see background below for explanation of TEIS). We also highly recommend that you first contact us with your choice (see step 2), attend a training workshop, and conduct monitoring in teams of at least two.

Map of TEIS Drilling Areas

You may choose your area based on your favorite watershed or by your least-favorite drilling company. The image on the right is a community walk map, which shows the TEIS areas. This interactive map can help you locate your area on the ground (make sure you zoom-out to see the whole map, areas listed on the left of map link to locations). We also highly recommend purchasing an Allegheny National Forest Map from one of the ANF U.S. Forest Service Offices (word of caution: these maps are out of date and do not reflect all of the roads in the forest).

2. Contact our outreach coordinator Megan Rulli with your site choice at mrulli@alleghenydefense.org and sign up for the Forest Watch Team (read more).

If you are not specifically drawn to one of the imminently threatened areas (TEIS Areas), no worries, the whole forest needs guardians and watchers.

Yellow area of ANF predicted to be in "full-mine-out" condition

The U.S. Forest Service predicts that over two-thirds of the forest is threatened by “full-mine-out” conditions by the oil and gas industry (see image on the left, yellow area is “full mine-out area”). Full-mine-out is oil and gas wells spaced every 500 feet across the landscape with associated roads, tank batteries, generators, wastewater pits etc. On top of oil and gas drilling the U.S. Forest Service continues its even-aged logging practices (clearcutting, herbiciding, and fencing for high-value species). So if you have a favorite area almost anywhere in the ANF, it needs your watchful eyes, and attention.

3. Finally, if you are able, please support our Forest Watch program and ongoing litigation efforts (including an appeal of the decision mentioned above) by donating to ADP.

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Join Us for an Allegheny Oil and Gas Drilling Issues Tour

(Marienville, PA)  March 20, 2010:  join us for a tour of oil & gas drilling in and around our public forest lands. See the impacts associated with deep gas drilling (Marcellus Shale) and shallow oil & gas drilling. This is an opportunity to grasp the scale of impacts to our forests first hand.

The oil & gas sites are along dirt roads in and around public lands areas. Expect a wide range of possible weather conditions from snow to rain. Thaw-like conditions are probable so expect mud. Come dressed for the outdoors for whatever weather is forecast (check weather for Marienville, PA). Bring water and pack a lunch and snacks. Expect to walk a bit. Sites are about 1/4 mile from main road.

To carpool from Pittsburgh meet at the Sierra Club Office in Oakland at 8:45am (Craig Street Side). The Pittsburgh group will be leaving at 9am sharp. Directions: http://tinyurl.com/PGHSierra. If you live closer to the Allegheny National Forest, or are traveling from points north, meet at the Bucktail Hotel in Marienville, PA at 10:45am. If you live in Pittsburgh contact Jim Kleissler at jim@palands.org or 412-559-1364. For more information contact mrulli@alleghenydefense.org.

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