Your Hiking Advocate: July, 2013

June has been a very busy month for KTA’s advocacy efforts to stop gas drilling on the Old Loggers Path in the Loyalsock State Forest.

 

On June 3, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) caved in to public pressure and finally held a public hearing on gas drilling in the Loyalsock State Forest. After standing in line for an hour, I expressed KTA’s concerns during the public comment period. On June 6, I participated in a large group meeting of concerned organizations in Lewisburg to develop short-range and long-range plans to stop gas drilling in the Loyalsock State Forest. One of the action items that resulted from that meeting was the decision to petition Governor Corbett for additional public hearings (click here for the full story and to sign the petition). On June 13, the DCNR Secretary resigned at the Governor’s request (click here to learn more).

 

Most recently, KTA and The Audubon Society sent a letter to the new DCNR Acting Secretary on behalf of a large coalition of organizations working to protect the Clarence Moore lands in the Loyalsock State Forest from natural gas development. The letter read, in part:

 

“First, all of our organizations sincerely wish you the best in your new position at the helm of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Being entrusted with conserving and maintaining the natural resources of the Commonwealth for present and future generations is both an extraordinary responsibility and a wonderful opportunity to leave a legacy.

 

Our coalition requests a meeting with you to discuss the situation with the Clarence Moore lands. We think it would be helpful and constructive to share information and perspectives, and to establish a framework for dialogue and discussion should there be new developments in the future.

 

To facilitate this meeting, we would be pleased to relay information between DCNR and other members of the coalition regarding the date, time, location and participants in this meeting should there be interest on your part.

 

We look forward to hearing from you at you earliest convenience.”

 

With continued pressure on the Governor's Office and a new dialogue with the new Acting Secretary of DCNR, it is my belief that momentum continues to build towards a successful resolution of the threat posed to the Old Loggers Path by gas drilling.