DCNR's Quigley: Only Sharp Service Reductions, Oil & Gas Fund Kept Parks Open

Acting Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Quigley told the House Appropriations Committee today only a sharp reduction in services and the timely transfer of $1.7 million from the Oil and Gas Fund kept all 117 State Parks open for business this passed year.
At the same time, he noted State Parks experienced a 13.2 percent increase in visitors--- over 4.5 million more people using the facilities-- as Pennsylvanians look for close-to-home and less expensive recreation experiences.
In written testimony to the Committee, Acting Secretary Quigley said the Governor is recommending 12 new positions in the agency to help oversee the dramatic increase in leasing for Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling on State Forest land.
Quigley told the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in December his agency did not have the staff resources needed to police the increased drilling activities. (12/21/09 PA Environment Digest)
His written testimony also highlighted DCNR's direct and indirect purchase of 130,000 acres of open space and critical habitat since the beginning of the Rendell Administration, including 73,000 acres added to State Forest lands and 5,000 acres of new State Park land.
Acting Secretary Quigley also said his agency is increasingly relying on monies from the Oil and Gas Fund to finance its operations. The proposed budget, for example, will use $10.6 million from the Fund to support Forestry operations and $2 million to supplement General Fund appropriations, in addition to the $1.7 million to keep State Parks open.
In response to questions, Quigley touched on several topics--
Moratorium On State Forest Drilling: Rep. David Reed (R-Indiana) asked whether DCNR was supporting a moratorium on leasing more State Forest land for natural gas drilling.
Acting Secretary Quigley said the Governor is considering it, but has proposed a natural gas production severance tax to provide funding for the state budget that could be an alternative to leasing. Rep. Reed noted the budget includes both leasing State Forest land and a severance tax.
Quigley noted DCNR is overseeing six producing Marcellus Shale wells, with 100 wells in the planning stage for this year. And in terms of statewide activity, only 10 percent or so of Marcellus Shale drilling activity is on State Forest lands.
State Forest Sustainable Management Certification: Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) asked if the certification of State Forest land as using sustainable management practices by an independent agency is in jeopardy as a result of increased drilling on state land.
Acting Secretary Quigley said the sustainable certification rests on several factors including the degree of forest fragmentation and whether forest managers have enough staff and resources to properly manage the forest.
He said there is no doubt hundreds of new wells and their associated access roads and collection pipeline will have a negative impact on forest fragment in the future. He said we have only seen the tip of the iceberg on this issue.
Quigley said the certification is not only important to DCNR, but to Pennsylvania's forest products industry that relies on the certification to market many of its products. Forest-related industries support over 70,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.
Heritage Parks Funding Eliminated: Rep. Deberah Kula (D-Westmoreland) and Rep. William Kortz (D-Allegheny) expressed disappointment with the zeroing out of the Heritage Park grant program line item.
Acting Secretary Quigley said the recommendation was part of the budget agreement between the Governor and the General Assembly last year and carried forward to this year. He agreed the local Heritage Park areas are a very valuable resource for the Commonwealth and local economic development.
Threats To Close Parks: Rep. Gordon Denlinger (R-Lancaster) said he did not appreciate the threats used last year to close 35 State Parks, and the follow up calls by constituents to his office, as part of considering the state budget.
Acting Secretary Quigley said it was not a threat, it was real. He said only a sharp reduction in services offered at State Parks and $1.7 million in funding shifted from the Oil and Gas Fund by the Governor kept the parks open.
A copy of Acting Secretary Quigley's written testimony is available online.
The Senate Appropriations Committee holds a hearing on DCNR's budget on Tuesday, February 23 at 10:00.

Note: Senate and House budget hearings can be seen live online on the PCN TV website Channels 1 and 2. Senate Hearings can be seen live and archived on the Senate Appropriations Committee webpage.