Land

Drilling on State Lands (State Forests, Parks, Wildlife Areas)

Drilling permits have been issued by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for Marcellus shale gas drilling in Chief  Logan State Park in Logan County.   The anticipated impacts of this industrial activity in a place reserved for recreation are numerous, including, but not limited to:

• Construction of roads for drill pads and pipelines will disrupt the scenic beauty and fragment habitat.
• The noise of construction, truck traffic, drilling and fracking will inhibit the peaceful enjoyment of the park and is likely to interfere with the breeding and foraging activity of wildlife within the park.
• Tourists will be deterred from visiting an area despoiled by industrial activity.

Here, Sierra Club West Virginia Chapter Chair, Jim Sconyers,shares his concerns about the negative impacts of gas development upon our enjoyment of our parks and the loss of tourism-generated revenue.   Jim Sconyers discusses the impacts of gas drilling in West Virginia state parks.