Activists Oppose Oil Wells in National Forest
by Adam Eshleman

photo by Ryan Talbott
Two hikers trek past a drilling well on one of the many trails of the Allegheny National Forest.

Oil and natural gas drilling jeopardizes the National Forest’s $4 billion annual contribution to the state economy—a sum procured through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, camping supplies, lodging and transportation.

PennEvironment’s chief argument is that the ANF is more valuable to the commonwealth through its use as a recreational destination, because the park’s profits stay in Pennsylvania.

U.S. Forest Service management of the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania’s only national forest, has environmental groups across the commonwealth up in arms.

The 513,000–acre forest is home not only to at least four endangered species but also to about 9,000 active oil wells—more wells than all other national forests combined, according to a report released by environmental advocacy group PennEnvironment.

The ANF sits atop a wealth of crude oil, and as oil extraction swells to satisfy an increasing demand for domestic oil, environmental groups are rallying to curb further development.

"Oil and timbering take more precedence than wilderness and recreation in Allegheny National Forest," said Zachary Pitts, of PennEvironment.

"There are a lot of areas that have deep scars from oil and gas drillings and roads that have been built," he said. "It takes decades to recover."

The report released by PennEnvironment, titled "Worth More Green," claims that oil and natural gas drilling jeopardizes the ANF’s $4 billion annual contribution to the state economy—a sum procured through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, camping supplies, lodging and transportation.

PennEvironment’s chief argument is that the ANF is more valuable to the commonwealth through its use as a recreational destination, because the park’s profits stay in Pennsylvania.

Ryan Talbott, of the Allegheny Defense Project, another group dedicated to preserving the ANF, said most of the oil and timber companies operating in the ANF are subsidiaries of larger international corporations, meaning their profits largely benefit people outside Pennsylvania.

According to the report, 4.2 million Pennsylvanians participated in hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities last year, bolstering not only the profitability of the state parks but also the economies of nearby towns.

"No one is going to want to drive two hours from Centre County to visit an oil field," Talbott said.

The report argues that outdoor enthusiasts prefer pristine environments, like what the ANF offers, and will seek these places out, even if it requires leaving the state.

"We prefer fishing in an untouched environment," said David Steinour, president of the bass fishing club at Penn State. "As a whole, it enhances the experience—that’s a big deal to us."

He said weeds and scum, common consequences of development, diminish the health of a fishery.

"A good fishery is usually an untouched fishery," he said.

Steinour said the Kinzua Dam in the ANF is renowned for holding state-record catches for pike and walleye.

"Any place that brings up record fish needs to be protected," he said. "It brings in a lot of out-of-state people."

According to "Worth More Green," beginning in 1986, oil companies cleared a yearly average of 293 acres of the forest for the construction of new oil wells. Last year alone, they constructed an unprecedented 985 new wells.

Considering the increased demand for domestic oil, the Forest Service predicts an average of 500 new wells will be drilled each year, forecasting a total of more than 15,000 by 2020. Nearly 10,000 acres will have to be cleared to drill those wells.

"For several decades, it’s proven to be an excellent production area," said Dave Straub, of Pennsylvania General Energy Co., based in Warron, Pa., which operates approximately 600 oil wells in the national forest.

Straub said the oil his company extracts is mostly used to make plastics and other products. It is not used to a great extent for fuel, he said.

According to Straub, northwestern Pennsylvania has, in the past, been instrumental to the success of domestic oil companies, most notably recognized as the birth place of the familiar petroleum brands Pennzoil and Quaker State.

Julie Sutsko, president of Penn State’s outing club and a mineral science major, said drilling there is justified based on a hierarchy of needs. The need for jobs and crude oil currently outweighs the need for recreation and the intrinsic value offered by such pristine places, she said.

"It’s all a money issue," she said, detailing the influential power oil corporations hold over the government, which owns the forest.

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease," she added. "If we’re going to do anything about this we are going to have to step up and make our opinions known."

According to Talbott, extraction companies and the government co-own 93 percent of the forest surface rights, meaning they can drill virtually anywhere in the forest, with no regard for environmental impact.

The ADP is currently working to appeal the Forest Service’s recently completed forest plan revision for its lack of concern for the ecological impact of increased drilling, Talbott said.

The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness, a conservation group, drafted a proposal last year titled "Citizens’ Wilderness Proposal for Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest." It calls for more than 54,000 acres to be designated as wilderness areas.

FAW representative John Bartlett told Voices that presently less than 2 percent of the forest is congressionally protected and that if congress accepts their proposal, an additional 10 percent will be closed to resource extraction.

One critical area FAW is trying to protect is a tract of forest surrounding the Tionesta old growth forest.

Bartlett said that while this region is already protected for its research value, oil and gas development is beginning to encroach upon the surrounding forest. FAW is vying for a protected buffer zone that would ensure the continued health of its ecosystem.

Bartlett recently visited State College, hoping to garner support for FAW’s forest plan. He said he immediately won the support of 10 local businesses and expects endorsements from several others in the coming weeks.

He said the campaign centered on businesses because they offer a bi-partisan perspective that law makers often value over the opinions of fickle citizens.

"(Business endorsements) show the depth and breadth of the (proposal), and elected officials pay more attention to business," he said.

"They represent main street," he added, "not just tree-huggers."

According to the report, as one of its last acts, the Clinton administration passed the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, protecting 58.5 million acres of wild national forest from most commercial logging, mining and drilling, including 25,000 acres of Allegheny National forest.

The Bush Administration repealed the bill after taking office, favoring the energy extraction companies that seek the veritable treasure-trove of virgin resources beneath those lands.

The report says that in spite of a record-breaking 1.6 million protection-supporting comments from the American public, the Bush Administration persists in denying the nation’s forests federal shelter.

"The roadless rule is the law of the land, so areas are somewhat protected but come under constant attack from courts and the Bush administration," Pitts said.

With no guiding legal precedent established, the Forest Service’s operation has greater flexibility, he said.

"The Forest Service can do what they want," he said. "They haven’t taken charge with protecting these areas. The roadless rule would set standards."

FAW Executive Director Kirk Johnson said the importance of protecting the state’s wild lands cannot be overstated.

"There is precious little remaining compared to what once was," Johnson said.