July 11, 2002

For Immediate Release

Citizen Groups Petition DCNR to Release Documents About "Back-Room" Deal with Oil Company

Clarion, PA -Today, a coalition of citizen groups filed a Right to Know Request with the Department of Conservation Natural Resources (DCNR) to obtain documents related to an apparent agreement that the agency made regarding its plans to lease drilling rights within the Forbes State Forest in Fayette County. The drilling plan was recently re-structured so that 218,000 acres will immediately be leased out to oil and gas corporations leaving the remaining 282,000 areas potentially to be auctioned off at a later date.

The request was filed after the DCNR revealed in testimony during an informational meeting of the Pennsylvania House Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy that an agreement had been made that forced the agency to lease the drilling rights in the area. The citizen groups were outraged that this information came out after public comment on the proposal was closed and a decision had been made.

"It is simply beyond the pale that the DCNR would withhold this information during the public comment period and only release it after a decision had been made," said Jim Kleissler, Forest Watch Director for the Allegheny Defense Project. "This apparently back-room deal entered with an oil and gas company demonstrates how the DCNR has been selective in its information while they push forward their plan to open our state forests to oil and gas drilling."

In re-structuring the drilling auction, the DCNR restricted the current auction to state forest lands close to New York State. Conservationists oppose this because those lands closest to New York State are the most wild areas of Pennsylvania's state forest system. Questions arose because the DCNR included Fayette County in its auction, despite the fact that it is nowhere near New York. In response to questions from Representative Sara Steelman, the DCNR acknowledged that an agreement had been entered with an operator of a gas storage field in Fayette County.

"Secretary Oliver owes an explanation to the people of Pennsylvania. Did the state keep this deal secret on purpose? What was the point of public comment if a back-room deal had already been entered with corporate special interests?" Asked Bill Smedley with the Pennsylvania Environmental Network. "This demonstrates that the DCNR's 'public comment period' was little more than a public relations scheme. Once again, the DCNR has made it clear that we need a legislatively-mandated public comment process."

"Over 4,500 members of the public who commented on the project opposed the auction plan while only 30 persons wrote in support," explained Jim Bensman, Forest Watch Coordinator with Heartwood. "The DCNR owes it to the public to prepare an environmental impact statement where all of the relevant facts are disclosed and subject to public review and comment."

For a copy of the request, click here.

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