Protect hunting and fishing in the Marcellus Shale region
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Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission recently issued its report to Gov. Tom Corbett, spelling out its suggestions on what the state must do to manage Marcellus Shale exploration. Although the report suggests a number of environmental protections be put in place, the details about how and if those measures will be implemented and enforced remains to be seen.
The way in which Pennsylvania state officials manage and regulate the gas industry from this point forward is critical to the future of Pennsylvania's environment and economy. Without detailed energy development guidelines in place, our state's rich natural resources -- and our economic future -- are at risk.
Each year, the commonwealth receives $5.4 billion in revenue from hunting, fishing and wildlife-related recreation. Sportsmen and women have long been a powerful economic force in Pennsylvania. Communities across the commonwealth have a rich heritage of hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor traditions on public and private lands -- the very places where Marcellus Shale gas drilling is occurring right now and will continue.
Pennsylvania's natural resources are finite and the concerns of sportsmen are imminent. What happens on state forests and other important natural areas today will have lasting effects on tomorrow's hunting and fishing opportunities.
Pennsylvania's historic brook trout waters and rich forest lands are at risk from the effects of drilling. Current state and local policies governing gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale region do not adequately protect valuable and irreplaceable natural resources, including clean water and critical habitat for fish and wildlife.
Given this -- and the serious concerns over the state's ability to fully monitor and inspect Marcellus drilling sites -- sportsmen and women have organized in a grassroots effort to advocate for the interests of hunters, anglers and others who want to protect sporting opportunities in the Marcellus Shale region.
First Published August 11, 2011 12:00 am
