UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Possible shale-gas development in the Loyalsock State Forest in Lycoming County will be the focus of a free, Web-based seminar sponsored by Penn State Extension.
To be offered at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 25, "Information on Potential Loyalsock State Forest Natural Gas Development" is a special presentation recently added to a monthly series of one-hour webinars.
The webinar will feature officials from the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which manages state forest lands. Moderated by Penn State Extension's Marcellus Education Team, the session will begin with a slide presentation about the Loyalsock situation given by DCNR's Marcellus Program Manager Arianne Proctor.
Following the slide presentation, Proctor, DCNR Secretary Richard Allan and DCNR State Forester Dan Devlin will answer questions.
"DCNR has heard from numerous individuals and organizations on this issue through letters and phone calls and in a meeting this month with local stakeholders," said Allan.
"This webinar gives us an additional opportunity to exchange information and respond to questions about potential gas development in the Loyalsock."
Allan pointed out that the state does not own subsurface gas rights under Loyalsock State Forest. He also noted that DCNR is in the process of planning a public meeting. Details will be shared in the coming weeks, he said.
For more information about possible gas development on the Loyalsock State Forest, visit the DCNR website, choose "Forestry" under "Quick Links," and scroll down to the Clarence Moore Fact Sheet.
To participate in the webinar, log in here. Registration is not necessary and all are welcome to join in. The March 25 session will be archived and available on the Penn State Extension natural-gas website.
The monthly natural-gas webinars presented by Penn State Extension's Marcellus Education Team usually are offered from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays. Upcoming webinars will cover the following topics:
--April 24: Utica Reservoirs -- Mike Arthur, Penn State professor of geosciences and co-director of the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research. (NOTE: This webinar will occur at 2:30 p.m.)
--May 16: Shale Energy Development's Effect on the Posting, Bonding and Maintenance of Roads in Rural Pennsylvania -- Mark Gaines, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Bureau of Maintenance, Operations and Roadway Management, and Tim Ziegler, Penn State Larson Transportation Institute, Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies.
--June 20: Royalty Calculations for Natural Gas from Shale -- Jim Ladlee, associate director, Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.
Previous webinars, publications and information also are available on the Penn State Extension natural-gas website, covering a variety of topics such as Act 13; seismic testing; air pollution from gas development; water use and quality; zoning; gas-leasing considerations for landowners; gas pipelines and right-of-way issues; legal issues surrounding gas development; and the impact of Marcellus gas development on forestland.
For more information, contact Carol Loveland at 570-320-4429 or cal24@psu.edu.