Three protesters were arrested yesterday at a natural gas drilling site in Moshannon State Forest in Clearfield County, Pa after their demonstration shut down site operations.
A Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry patrolman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that between 40 and 70 protesters arrived at the state forest sometime between 4 and 8 a.m. Sunday, pulled downed trees and other scattered material from the forest and placed them in about 30 piles along road leading to the site of a nearby natural gas well.
A Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry patrolman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that between 40 and 70 protesters arrived at the state forest sometime between 4 and 8 a.m. Sunday, pulled downed trees and other scattered material from the forest and placed them in about 30 piles along road leading to the site of a nearby natural gas well.
The Pocono Record reported today that the EQT Corporation’s natural gas drilling rig was
just being commissioned. Protesters said it had gone up in the last
week.
just being commissioned. Protesters said it had gone up in the last
week.
Gloria Forouzan of Marcellus Protest claimed that 150 demonstrators had blocked an access road for trucks headed to the EQT rig.
One of the protesters, 25-year-old Alex Lotorto of Pike County, said two activists
were sitting 75 feet in the air on a tree platform that had been
connected to a cable stretched across the access road. If a truck or
machine were to cross the cable and cut through it, the tree sitters
would fall, Lotorto said.
“Unfortunately, this
is the extent we have to go to,” said Lotorto, who has lived in rural
Pennsylvania since birth. He blamed energy companies for pushing
hydraulic fracturing in unwilling communities in the Marcellus Shale
region, a gas-rich rock formation thousands of feet underground in large
parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.
is the extent we have to go to,” said Lotorto, who has lived in rural
Pennsylvania since birth. He blamed energy companies for pushing
hydraulic fracturing in unwilling communities in the Marcellus Shale
region, a gas-rich rock formation thousands of feet underground in large
parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Lotorto
said the new rig and fracking process was spoiling the forest, a
treasure for the local economy. He said the protesters wouldn’t leave until EQT took the rig away.
said the new rig and fracking process was spoiling the forest, a
treasure for the local economy. He said the protesters wouldn’t leave until EQT took the rig away.
Related environmental news stories:
Three protesters arrested in Clearfield County at EQT natural-gas drilling site
Protesters lead to temporary shutdown of Pa. oil rig
Protesters lead to temporary shutdown of Pa. oil rig
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