Alex Levine: Profiles of Key Groups and Individuals

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
 
Established in 1995, the eight bureaus of the DCNR are in charge of maintaining and preserving the 2.2 million acres of state forest land and 12 state parks in Pennsylvania’s borders. The department gathers information about the ecological and geological resources and works to develop conservation plans for the future. The main bureaus that deal with gas drilling and leases are the state parks bureau, forestry bureau and topographic & geological survey bureau. As a government agency, the stance of the department is to allow gas developments on state lands as long as it is done in a safe and responsible manner with the environmental impacts in mind.
 
The department can be contacted by phone at (888) 727 – 2757 or by email at ra- askdcnr@state.pa.us or in writing at PO Box 8767, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg PA 17015-8767.
 
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
 
The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for monitoring the use of state lands and the leased mineral rights in areas such as timber, minerals, oil and gas. The department is also in charge of issuing permits for drilling on state public lands, consulting with the Department of Environmental Quality for scientific and environmental advice. The staff oversees the permit application review process and grants companies the rights to drill on state lands. Twice a year, the department holds an auction for mineral rights on certain state lands, which gives access to the highest bidder.
 
The department’s oil and gas division can be contacted by phone at (517) 284 – 5881 or by email at mansonj@michigan.gov.
 
Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)
 
As stated on its website, the commission is a multi-state government agency that was formed in 1935 to find common ground solutions on domestic energy production issues such as unregulated petroleum production and environmental issues regarding waste. Over time, the member states passed regulations in the oil and natural gas industries as well as functioned as an aggregator of information from the states. The commission’s purpose is to be a collective voice of member states’ governors on energy issues and advocate a state’s right to regulate gas/oil resources inside the states.
 
The importance of the IOGCC to the issue of state land management has to do with the collaboration and sharing of information among the states. States that have less developed gas drilling infrastructure often look to other states for guidance in legislation and regulations. The commission also produces its own independent new programs and studies about emerging national trends. It also hosts a biannual meeting attended by governors, state gas regulators, industry representatives and environmental groups. Overall, the commission has a pro-fracturing stance and would like to see an expansion of the number of gas wells.
 
The commission is available for contact by mail at P.O. Box 53127, Oklahoma City, OK 73152 or by phone at (405) 525 – 3556 or by email at iogcc@iogcc.state.ok.us.

Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation
 
The Sportsmen Alliance is a group of sportsmen whose goal is to identify and diminish the impacts of hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale region on outdoor sporting activities such as hunting and fishing. According to their website, “the Sportsmen Alliance is not opposed to gas drilling and recognizes the potential economic and social benefits.” The purpose of the alliance was to push state and federal agencies in charge of legislation and regulations to protect hunting, fishing and trapping grounds. The alliance contains more than 265,000 members. The group is particularly vocal on the issues of water usage for drilling, inadequate monitoring and inspections, water regulations and treatment facilities. Its website contains a document that lists the group’s recommendations for law and policies that will protect the outdoor sporting experience.
 
The Alliance is available for contact by phone at (607) 742 – 3331 or by email at marcellus@sportsmenalliance.org.