Pennsylvania Game Commissioners approved a five-year, restricted-surface use oil and gas cooperative agreement with Chief Exploration and Development of Dallas, Texas, to develop 1,440 acres in Bradford County, Pa.

The development will occur on state owned game lands in Bradford County. This company has already successfully developed 27,426 acres under six agency-approved gas-rights agreements.

Under the agreement Chief Exploration Co. will not establish new drilling pads on the 1,440 acres. The tract will be developed through horizontal drilling from current and planned operations located on adjacent private lands.

The Game Commission will receive a bonus payment of $2,160,000, which will be deposited in three installments into the Game Fund account. Chief Co. will also make a $432,000 wildlife enhancement payment to the Game Fund or into an interest-bearing escrow account to be used for the future purchase of wildlife habits, lands or other projects incidental to hunting, furtaking and wildlife-resource management.

Future royalty and rental payments will be deposited into the Game Fund account.

The Pa Game Commission staff negotiated the proposed terms of the agreement with Chief Exploration and Development Company in an effort to develop the commission's oil and gas reserves and at the same time protect the wildlife resources and recreational use of state public game lands.

These oil and natural gas developments will be regulated by the Commonwealth's Oil & Gas Regulations and the commission's Standard Restricted Surface Use Oil and Gas Cooperative Agreement.

Biden's Fracking Ban

Won't Matter!

Revenue from natural gas drilling and extraction is the largest source of income in the Pennsylvania Game Commission's budget. Since 2008, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources collected $1.23 billion on rental and royalty payments coming from natural gas & oil extraction on state forest lands.

The Game Commission's spokesman, Travis Lau, acknowledged that a loss of revenue generated by natural gas development would have a major impact on the agency, the commission believes President Biden's ban on fracking only pertains to federal public lands and would not affect Pennsylvania's public game lands.

Personal Note!

I just turned 80 years young and took my 2nd Moderna virus vaccine shot, and did not have any after effects with either shot. It was a breeze for me.

Jack Danchak is a longtime sportsmen and spent 30 years as the President of the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs of Sullivan County, Inc.