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Sportsmen's Clubs/Keystone Energy Forum Hold Marcellus Shale Program
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The Keystone Energy Forum, in partnership with the PA Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, held a first-of-its-kind “Outdoors Forum” this week in Camp Hill focusing on Marcellus Shale development and its interaction with Pennsylvania’s countryside, allowing outdoor enthusiasts, regulators and industry representatives to engage in a productive discussion about natural gas issues.
“Other than perhaps the landowners with gas leases, no other single citizen group is more widely affected by Marcellus drilling activity than Pennsylvania's outdoor sports community,” stated Bill Stewart, Director of the Keystone Energy Forum. “It's extremely important to open and maintain good lines of communication among the industry, the regulators, and the millions of outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy Penn’s woods year in and year out. Today’s Outdoors Forum will provide a solid foundation for a productive ongoing dialogue."
The day-long Outdoors Forum took place. in conjunction with the semi-annual convention of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. The forum consisted of three panel discussions focusing on land activity, interaction with Marcellus Shale development and impacts on Pennsylvania’s countryside. A lunch presentation will be given by Dr. Jim Mosher, former executive director and current board member of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, focusing on communication between all parties and how to best interact on issues of importance to both the industry and sportsmen’s groups, now and in the future.
“If you’re going afield this fall on public lands and waters and want to know where the drilling activity is taking place, then you don’t want to miss today’s forum,” said Ted Onufrak, President of the PA Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. “Officials from the Game Commission and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, representing nearly 4 million acres of public land, will be identifying the areas of activity on state forests and game lands and any associated road closures.
Fish and Boat Commission and Department of Environmental Protection employees explained all the activities that outdoor enthusiasts might encounter. Industry representatives will also be on-hand to discuss impacts, concerns and better ways that all parties can communicate if there are questions about favorite outdoor spots, whether they’re tree stands, fishing holes or hiking/biking trails.”
“The Keystone Energy Forum is designed as a venue for concerned citizens, coalition groups and partners who are committed to improving the public's understanding of, and support for, both the many opportunities and challenges presented by the Marcellus Shale natural gas development here in Pennsylvania,” added KEF Director Bill Stewart.
The KEF is focused on energy production in Pennsylvania. The Energy Forum will serve as a resource for making local opinions count. The Forum will be available to Pennsylvanians as a venue to help create balanced energy policies.
“There will be more than a million outdoor enthusiasts out and about this fall/winter in Penn’s Woods. This forum is a good step in getting familiar with this industry and opening lines of communication so that we can continue to improve our role as stewards of our natural resources, to the benefit of the landowners, industry and all Pennsylvanians,” concluded Onufrak. Visit The Energy Forum online to participate in the forum and for facts on the Marcellus Shale, hydraulic fracturing and other Pennsylvania and national energy issues.
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9/26/2011 |
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