2-23-11: Drilling on Public Lands

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local-wypr-954065.mp3

Enron Oil and Gas drilling for natural gas in Pennsylvania's Moshannon State Forest.

Conflicts between companies that lease state forests and parks for natural gas drilling and people who use these public lands for recreation are on the rise across the Chesapeake Bay region. Why? Because of a gold rush of gas drilling in a rock formation called the Marcellus shale that lies under Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, New York, and West Virginia. The issue is most pronounced in Pennsylvania, but could boil over into the other states soon. From 2007 to 2010, Pennsylvania leased out 130,000 acres of its state forests to drilling companies to raise over a half billion dollars and help balance its budget during the economic downturn. More than 12,000 natural gas wells will be drilled in Pennsylvania's state forests over the next decade.