From Marie Cusick, State Impact: "Scientists document gas development disturbing forest ecosystems"

Here's our Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at work--denying Right to Know requests about when their eight million dollar report on the effects of gas drilling on forests will finally be done!

http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2014/01/09/scientists-document-gas-development-disturbing-forest-ecosystems/

Thanks, however, to Shale Justice's Kevin Heatley for making the effects clear--and he didn't cost 8 million dollars!

From Mr. Heatley: "“Everything from the noise and the traffic to the lighting, to the pad placements, to the pipeline construction to the road expansion,” he says. “This is all industrial infrastructure. It’s inherently incompatible with sustainable forest management.”

Exactly.

And right along with that forest fragmentation goes the habitat for species of animal that don't do well near people--that need contiguous forest to thrive. Hence, it's no wonder at all that the gas companies want to do away with protections for endangered species--what State Rep. Jeff Pyle mistakenly calls "game species"--It's also no wonder that he's bought lock, stock, and frack-fluid barrel by the industry.

For more on the connection between Mr. Pyle's intrepid legislation to gut PA's endangered species act (SB 1047/HB 1576), forest fragmentation, and the now largely overturned Act 13, please see:

http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com/2013/12/lets-make-2014-year-natural-gas.html