Photo by Ted Lutz
This is a typical oil well in the Allegheny National Forest. Private companies are permitted to drill wells in the forest because they control the subsurface mineral rights. The U.S. Forest Service and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issue guidelines for preparing well sites and drilling and maintaining the wells.

By Ted Lutz

Kane Republican Staff

 U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Centre County) is focusing his attention on efforts to end an unofficial moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF).
There’s been a stalemate on new drilling since the U.S. Forest Service Regional Office in Milwaukee earlier this year assumed responsibility for reviewing applications to access proposed privately-owned well sites in the 513,000-acre ANF.
Since this duty switched to Milwaukee from the Forest Service headquarters in Warren, not one single “notice to proceed” has been issued for access to proposed well sites.
As a result, drilling operations have been disrupted and the Kane area economy has suffered a major setback.
In a telephone interview Wednesday with The Kane Republican, Thompson called the delay “absolutely unacceptable.”
He said it’s been 69 days since the last “notice to proceed” has been issued by the Forest Service. He said holdup is “having a big impact” on the Kane area economy.
A freshman legislator, Thompson said he has been following the “chain of command” in dealing with the problem.
He said he has spoken with Leanne Marten, the ANF supervisor based in Warren. He said he has talked with Kent Connaughton, the regional forester in Milwaukee. He said he has discussed the issue with Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture, and Dr. Ann Bartuska, the acting Undersecretary of Agriculture for National Resources and Environment.
He said he went to the agriculture secretary because “I wanted to elevate the issue to the highest level I can.”
The Forest Service is part of the Agriculture Department.
A member of the House Agriculture Committee, Thompson also has briefed Committee Chairman Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Ranking GOP Member Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.).
Thompson said he asked the Forest Service and other government officials to “think about jobs and think about the economy” linked with oil and gas well drilling in the ANF.
“I want them to know how important this is,” Thompson said.
“We’ve had very productive discussions,” Thompson said. He said the officials appear to be “very supportive.”
Thompson, who won election in November to fill the seat vacated by retiring Congressman John Peterson (R-Pleasantville), said ending the holdup on the issuance of “notices to proceed” to drillers “really is my number one priority” in Congress.
He said the unofficial moratorium on the notices is “disrupting” many small businesses and families who rely on the drilling operations for income.
Private drilling companies own or lease the subsurface mineral rights in 93 percent of the ANF. To access their well sites, however, they need to meet certain regulations set forth by the Forest Service.
Drillers also are highly regulated by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
As Thompson pointed out, there’s been drilling in the ANF since the national forest was created over 86 years ago.
He said that drilling for oil and gas in the ANF is “good for Pennsylvania and is good for America” to meet energy needs and to provide employment opportunities.
“Drilling for domestic oil is a wonderful way to strengthen our economy,” he said.
About 1,000 wells were drilled last year in the ANF and about 1,300 were drilled in 2007.
Thompson believes that lawsuits filed by anti-drilling groups are at least partially to blame for influencing the Forest Service delay in issuing “notices to proceed.”
He said the anti-drilling groups are “being successful” in their efforts to “shut down” drillers. Thompson, however, doesn’t believe that the Forest Service should balk at giving “notices to proceed” simply because of pending litigation.
“There have been lawsuits before,” he said.
Thompson plans to tour the ANF next month to focus more attention on the government paperwork problems in dealing with private companies that want to extract minerals from property they legally control.
Thompson said he “doesn’t care” where the “notices to proceed” are generated “as long as they are issued” in a timely fashion.