Tip of the iceberg

Here it comes!

Landowners are being courted with promises of riches; businesses are plotting expansions; plans are on the drawing board for gas wells, pipelines and water treatment facilities, and many more pieces are falling into place.

In short, experts say, the stars are aligned for a Marcellus Shale natural gas rush that will be a major force in Cameron and Potter counties for decades to come.

In Cameron County, available rail service and mineral-rich land has attracted both industrial prospectors and “land men.” Pipeline and railroad infrastructure will give the county a leg up on some of the other counties which are sitting atop rich gas deposits upwards of two miles deep in the shale.

Potter County also has the gas transportation network in place, although it lacks rail service, and a local task force this week issued a summary of recent signs that the Marcellus business is for real:

•A Galeton property owner is taking steps to build a treatment plant capable of processing water from gas well hydrofracturing operations.

•A Coudersport motel is adding a new wing and several new log cabins to capitalize on the influx of workers affiliated with the industry.

•Property near Galeton is being developed into a lodging facility to accommodate dozens of gas field workers.

•A Potter County business will soon unveil a plan for establishing a campground for gas field workers.

•Local residents have received training as “Water Dogs” to monitor the impact of natural gas drilling on water resources in the Pine Creek Watershed.

•Landowner associations are forming to market mineral rights to energy companies in large blocks of acreage.

•All five public schools and the Seneca Highlands Vo-Tech School are working with the Potter County Education Council on projects to educate students on natural gas industry jobs and training opportunities, as well as environmental issues.

A representative from the most active natural gas drilling company in Potter County and an aide to Gov. Ed Rendell will be on hand during the next meeting of the Potter County Natural Gas Task Force.

With attendance at these monthly meetings now at more than 100 people, the location for the Tuesday, Feb. 9, session has been changed to the Potter County Courthouse, starting at 7 pm.

Pennsylvania General Energy Inc. (PGE), a Warren-based company with significant mineral rights ownership and gas production activity in the county, will present information on many aspects of the industry’s plans for tapping Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves in Potter County.

Specific topics to be addressed include PGE’s early results in Potter County gas production; property owners’ options and the complexities of “split estate” mineral rights ownership, as well as local government options for protection of roads and bridges. The PGE representative will also field questions from Task Force members and the general public.

Also scheduled to attend is Lance Simmens, long-time aide to Gov. Rendell, who is monitoring developments to assess the gas industry’s economic development potential and local citizens’ opinions on economic and environmental issues.

Since the January meeting, members of the task force’s Public Education Committee have unveiled a new section on the Potter County government’s new website, pottercountypa.net, developed as a “one-stop shop” for pertinent local and regional information on the dawning Marcellus Shale natural gas industry.

“What we saw in terms of activity in 2009 was just the tip of the iceberg,” the committee reported. “This year is when things will really start to take off.”

Developments will be monitored and reported on the committee’s website. It also contains timely news on state environmental policies, links to many other information sites, a summary of area educational programs and seminars, updates on the Potter County Natural Gas Task Force, news on developments such as the issuance of leases for gas-drilling on state forest land in Potter County, and more.

“The website is designed to localize the large volume of available information for anyone interested in the Marcellus Shale phenomenon— whether it’s for business opportunities, environmental concerns, local government issues or any other perspective,” the committee reported.

To access it, go to pottercountypa. net/ and click on the Marcellus Shale/Natural Gas tab at the top.