Pennsylvania shale sparks outrage

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HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale play in the forests of Pennsylvania will provoke outrage from the public, opponents say.

Last week, the 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a Pennsylvania district court's ruling that mineral rights owners don't have to wait for an environmental impact study from the U.S. Forest Service to start drilling in the Allegheny National Forest.

John Quigley, a special adviser for the state's largest environmental group Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, said his group would ask developers to steer clear from gas reserves beneath a state park.

He said drillers would be asked to keep their activity 300 feet from park boundaries.

"Any drilling in state parks is going to provoke public outrage," he was quoted by the Platts news service as saying. "There is no question about that."

Surroundings areas have enjoyed successful drilling operations for two years in the northern portion of Pennsylvania's shale gas play.

Natural gas production from the Marcellus shale gas play in Pennsylvania was reported at 1.87 billion cubic feet per day during the first half of 2011, a 22 percent increase over production reported in the second half of 2010.