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Impact of Shale Development in Pennsylvania’s Forests Adapted from Information by the Pennsylvania DCNR The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) released its latest report, which includes data from 2014, on the impact the recent shale gas boom in the Marcellus Formation has had on the state’s forest lands. Roughly 1.5 million acres of state forest lands covers the Marcellus; of that acreage, only 44% (673,000 acres) is available for gas development. Roughly 15% of all shale gas produced in the state comes from state forest lands. In addi- tion to providing domestic energy, natural gas development has provided significant contri- butions to the state’s economy. DCNR is actively monitoring the impact development has had on precious forest resources and values, such as recreation, water, soil, plant, and wildlife habitat. According to The Shale-Gas Monitoring Report , initial water monitoring results indicate shale gas development has not had any significant impact on the area’s watersheds. The majority of streams in the region are classified as high-quality or exceptional through the Department of Environmental Protection and many streams have naturally reproducing trout populations. Keeping soil dis- turbances to a minimum has involved a lot of care- ful planning and oversight. Since shale gas development began in Pennsylvania in 2008, air quality has actually improved. The report indicates levels of sulfur, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide has decreased significantly. This is primarily due to the increased use of nat- ural gas for power generation and the installation of air pollution control equipment. State forest lands are important for wildlife as they offer food, cover, water, and space. The bureau is in the early stages of developing its wildlife monitoring protocols and will monitor the impacts development is having on wildlife communities to develop steps to avoid and mitigate any negative impacts. Our country’s national parks provide a source of recreation. The DCNR report indi- cates no national hiking trails have been impacted by the shale gas boom. Snowmobile trail systems have been impacted, but new snowmobile trails have been created to replace the ones affected. Overall, four miles of new road were constructed in the core gas districts in 2013. In 2014, less than one mile of new road was constructed bringing the total miles of new roads to 36 since 2007. This is the first of several anticipated reports as more data is collected and more tre nds are observed over time. The entire report is available online at: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/NaturalGas/monitoringreport/index.htm 3"- 0)'! +#0* /'! /,,). '+ ./,!( '4#. 6 /, 6 +(. ,1* + 13 -"#+ ))#3 5 2 - 0!&*$% !,* 5 - 0!&*$% $-,+/'#-+#/ !,* ,"#) '4#. /#+/ + " #+"'+% 31 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® OCTOBER 2015