Stakeholders with an interest in how rights-of-way are obtained across state forest and park lands are invited to review and comment on a document outlining the process, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Acting Secretary John Quigley announced this week.

"DCNR always has had the legal authority to grant rights-of-way on the land we manage, but we must update the process to reflect our current approach for managing DCNR lands," Acting Secretary Quigley said. "With Pennsylvania fast becoming the focus of an increasing number of new energy transmission projects, we have seen a leap in the volume of requests for rights-of-way.

"We have compiled all of our procedures and requirements and are offering the public a chance to comment on them before they are finalized," he said.

DCNR manages more than 2.4 million acres of state parks and forests. The Bureau of Forestry is one of the largest landowners in the United States to be independently certified as "well managed" according to the principles of the Forest Stewardship Council.

"It's our responsibility to balance the need for a reliable domestic energy supply with our mission to protect our forests for their many other uses and values," Acting Secretary Quigley said.

The guidelines outline the process including applying for a right-of-way; preventing and control invasive plants on right-of-ways; replanting impacted areas; assessing timber damages and other compensations; choosing a route; and a description of the fees associated with rights-of-way on DCNR lands.

"Our goal is to do the least environmental damage possible, and the procedures we have outlined are intended to encourage industry to use the smallest amount of state lands possible," Acting Secretary Quigley said.

Comments should be submitted by July 31.

For more information, visit the DCNR Right-of-Way Development webpage.