Department of Conservation and Natural Resources officials will participate in a free, web-based seminar offered by Penn State Extension on Marcellus Shale issues in the Loyalsock State Forest, Lycoming County, on April 25.

"Information on Potential Loyalsock State Forest Natural Gas Development" is being offered from 1 to 2 p.m. as part of a series of one-hour webinars conducted by Penn State on natural gas drilling.

"DCNR has heard from numerous individuals and organizations on this issue through letters, phone calls and in a meeting this month with local stakeholders," DCNR Secretary Richard Allan said. "This webinar gives us an additional opportunity to exchange information and respond to questions about potential gas development in the Loyalsock, where the state does not own the subsurface gas rights."

Allan added that DCNR is in the process of planning an upcoming public meeting. Details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Registration for this webinar is not necessary and all are welcome to participate.

Moderated by Penn State Extension's Marcellus Education Team, the session will begin with a slide presentation about the Loyalsock situation by Marcellus Program Manager Arianne Proctor.  Following that, questions will be answered by Proctor, Allan and State Forester Dan Devlin.

The session eventually will be archived and available on the Penn State Extension natural-gas website.

For more information about possible gas development on the Loyalsock State Forest, download DCNR’s Clarence Moore Lands Fact Sheet.

To participate in the webinar, log in online. For more information, contact Carol Loveland at Penn State at 570-320-4429 or send email at: cal24@psu.edu.

Press Conference

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware), Minority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, representatives from several environmental organizations and other lawmakers will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. April 23 in the Capitol Media Center to urge the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to preserve Loyalsock State Forest.

NewsClip: DCNR To Discuss Drilling In Loyalsock State Forest

4/22/2013