Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), Majority Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, supported the Dirt and Gravel Road Program and urged that it be part of the Governor’s Transportation Funding Plan. It is part of government’s duty to protect all of its citizens. On an ongoing basis, the annual savings for heating or cooling a building with a geothermal heat pump system are considerable. With the myriad of refined products which emanate from crude oil (including heating oil, jet fuel, propane and gasoline) few corners of our industrial and commercial marketplaces are untouched by price and supply fluctuations in crude oil. With crude products such as gasoline and diesel fuel most exposed to electric cars, why have refiners been the best group in the energy patch in the past few years? Working as an Oil & Gas Landman is one of the best jobs currently available. The best strategy for controlling employee exposure to diesel exhaust is engineering controls.

Many countries rely on oil and gas engineering to keep their economies in the black so universities have added courses to their curriculum to satisfy the ever increasing demand for new engineers in the oil industry. I believe in 100 years we will be successful in our bid to live within the Earth’s means but we will have learned many horrible lessons. Four: Solar power in recent years has seen great strides, which means that it is becoming more affordable for everyone. Rendell who cut DEP’s budget every year for eight years. 2.3 billion in funding has been cut or diverted from environmental programs over the last 12 years, starting with the record budget and staff cuts and staff furloughs by Gov. Secretary Allan said DCNR has increased the number of private concessionaires to operate some facilities and activities to allow agency staff to focus on the management of the parks and forests and to better leverage its existing resources. Secretary Allan said two private companies own the mineral rights in the area and not DCNR. Who owns the mineral rights to my property?

Yudichak, Secretary Allan said the moratorium on drilling in state forest land where DCNR owns the mineral rights remains in effect. State Forest land. Secretary Allan said DCNR has staff devoted to tracking royalty payments to make sure everything due the agency is paid where drilling occurs on State Forest land. Corbett has not proposed to furlough any DEP staff, but clearly no organization can suffer a 17 percent cut in staff and not have that reflect in its overall performance. Yudichak asked DCNR, like he did with DEP last week, if the agency was looking at the potential for securitizing some of the revenue from drilling to provide for maintenance project funding. DEP anticipated finalizing proposed language at the November 15 Oil and Gas Board meeting and then send it to the Environmental Quality Board on December 18 for their consideration. Sen. Vogel then asked if Dirt and Gravel Road Funding should be included in the Governor’s Transportation Plan and Secretary Allan said they would be looking to increase the allocation for the program.

Blake asked if the debt service payment for the Growing Greener II bond issue taken from the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund will increase. Keystone Fund: Sen. Yudichak ask if there is any thought about taking funds away from the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund to use for other purposes in this budget cycle. Conservation Partnership Grants: Sen. However, Heritage Areas are eligible to apply for grants under DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnership Grants Program. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) asked about the adequacy of funding for the maintenance of DCNR’s 3,500 of State Forest and State Park roads. Secretary Allan said DCNR works closely with drilling companies on restoration plans with each drill site and access roads and they have seen a similar experience in opening areas for habitat. One of the companies asked DCNR some time ago about issues related to drilling in the area, but DCNR asked them to hold off on plans for drilling until issues could be examined in more detail.

Now is the time for a more thorough debate on these issues and to show the kind of leadership Pennsylvania has had in the past to deal with our most pressing need– clean water. 12 million in funding is now in one place so it can be managed more efficiently. 60 million in royalties for this fiscal year which are used, with Budget Office approval, for agency operational costs. Secretary Allan said more and more of their areas are open to the public and DCNR is working with groups, like Wounded Warriors, to provide additional access. Secretary Allan said DCNR is working with the Department of General Services on identifying Marcellus Shale areas and, if asked, would handle the actual leasing under an agreement with DGS. Sen. Yaw commented Marcellus Shale drilling creates greater public access to certain areas for recreation or hunting and fishing activities as a result of access road and pad construction, in particular for handicapped individuals.