CORTLAND - Robert Hazelton is trying to keep an open mind about the state Department of Environmental Conservation's proposal to lease part of Bear Swamp State Forest to natural gas and oil exploration.
Hazelton lives on Iowa Road in Sempronius near the 2,094 acres of Bear Swamp under scrutiny. One of his major concerns is what effect the drilling and exploration could have on habitat for small game like grouse, which he hunts near his home.
"Going in there and opening up some of these sites would be good for wildlife," Hazelton said. "I see this as a potential benefit to the small game population."
He was one of about 125 people in Cortland Monday for a public hearing on the drilling proposal. About 2,000 acres of Bear Swamp are part of the state DEC's proposal to lease 21,000 acres for oil and natural gas development and exploration.
Monday's meeting was one of four planned hearings in Cortland and Elmira to gather the public's feelings on opening up the land.
DEC Region 7 Director Ken Lynch said the meetings were an important part of the process because the DEC anticipated a lot of people would want to learn more about the proposal.
The plans are not a done deal yet, said Jack Dahl, director of the DEC's Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation in the Division of Mineral Resources.
Once a site is nominated for leasing, the DEC's Division of Mineral Resources consults with staff from that area about any conditions that should be put on the lease.
Even if the exploration is approved, the wells aren't guaranteed to hit natural gas or even be profitable. A lot of technology and planning goes into scouting out ideal locations, Dahl said.
But there's only a 25-percent success rate on the wells, and the $1 million to $3 million investment on setting up the well can take a while to pay back.
"A quarter of them produce some gas," Dahl said.
"That doesn't mean they're making money."
Environmental protection trumped economics for several of the 30 people who planned to speak during the meeting.
Bill Hecht, of Union Springs, said the DEC should be concerned about whether groundwater contamination could happen in Bear Swamp, an integral part of the Skaneateles Lake watershed.
"We know nothing about the groundwater resources of the Bear Swamp area," Hecht said.
He proposed having companies that drill file confidential paperwork with the DEC in case something went wrong to expedite any cleanup.
Others, like 20-year-old Eric Gay of Skaneateles, were worried about the aesthetic beauty of Bear Swamp being compromised by drilling.
When he is on break from college in New York City, he enjoys coming to Bear Swamp for its unique features, not the open spaces meant to camouflage a well head.
He's afraid the drilling will destroy one of his peaceful getaways.
"We might as well stay put in Manhattan," he said.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or
elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
"Going in there and opening up some of these sites would be good for wildlife," Hazelton said. "I see this as a potential benefit to the small game population."
He was one of about 125 people in Cortland Monday for a public hearing on the drilling proposal. About 2,000 acres of Bear Swamp are part of the state DEC's proposal to lease 21,000 acres for oil and natural gas development and exploration.
Monday's meeting was one of four planned hearings in Cortland and Elmira to gather the public's feelings on opening up the land.
DEC Region 7 Director Ken Lynch said the meetings were an important part of the process because the DEC anticipated a lot of people would want to learn more about the proposal.
The plans are not a done deal yet, said Jack Dahl, director of the DEC's Bureau of Oil and Gas Regulation in the Division of Mineral Resources.
Once a site is nominated for leasing, the DEC's Division of Mineral Resources consults with staff from that area about any conditions that should be put on the lease.
Even if the exploration is approved, the wells aren't guaranteed to hit natural gas or even be profitable. A lot of technology and planning goes into scouting out ideal locations, Dahl said.
But there's only a 25-percent success rate on the wells, and the $1 million to $3 million investment on setting up the well can take a while to pay back.
"A quarter of them produce some gas," Dahl said.
"That doesn't mean they're making money."
Environmental protection trumped economics for several of the 30 people who planned to speak during the meeting.
Bill Hecht, of Union Springs, said the DEC should be concerned about whether groundwater contamination could happen in Bear Swamp, an integral part of the Skaneateles Lake watershed.
"We know nothing about the groundwater resources of the Bear Swamp area," Hecht said.
He proposed having companies that drill file confidential paperwork with the DEC in case something went wrong to expedite any cleanup.
Others, like 20-year-old Eric Gay of Skaneateles, were worried about the aesthetic beauty of Bear Swamp being compromised by drilling.
When he is on break from college in New York City, he enjoys coming to Bear Swamp for its unique features, not the open spaces meant to camouflage a well head.
He's afraid the drilling will destroy one of his peaceful getaways.
"We might as well stay put in Manhattan," he said.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or
elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
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