Land acquisition protects Luzerne County bat hibernaculum.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved land acquisitions totaling more than 170 acres.
One of the two tracts to be acquired is near State Game Lands 224 in Newport Township, Luzerne County. The 144-acre property is being offered by Silverbrook Anthracite Inc. for an option price of $281,000, lump sum, to be paid by habitat mitigation commitments for impacts to state and federally listed species.
The presence of eastern small-footed myotis, a Pennsylvania threatened species, and Indiana Bat, a Pennsylvania and federally listed endangered species, is the impetus for the mitigation funding and will require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's approval before the property can be purchased.
The property is forested with oaks, maples, black birch, hemlock and white pine. There are natural rock outcroppings on the property.
The opening of the abandoned Glen Lyon mine is located on the property and has become a bat hibernaculum.
Silverbrook Anthracite Inc. also has an active surface mining permit issued for portions of the property.
Acquiring the property will help preserve the hibernaculum, which currently is protected by fencing.
The second tract is in Monroe Township, Bedford County, adjacent to State Game Lands 49.
The 28-acre tract is being offered by Clifford D. and Christine F. Hurst, and Linford S. and Janelle L. Martin.
The option price is $70,000, lump sum, to be paid with funds from the Game Fund.
The tract is forested with mixed oaks.
The east branch of Sideling Creek flows through the property. The creek's floodplain is fairly wide and provides habitat for woodcock and other species, with habitat requirements for riparian areas in young forest habitat.
Currently there is no public access from the west and southwest into this detached portion of State Game Lands 49.
Acquiring this property will provide important access from Robinsonville Road.

LAND EXCHANGES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 450 ACRES
Agreements add to game lands system.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved land exchanges that will add to Game Commission properties in Luzerne, Dauphin, Schuylkill and Monroe counties.
PPL Electric Utilities Corp. (PPL) is offering 261 acres in Buck Township, Luzerne County, adjacent to State Game Lands 91, and more than 86 acres in Wiconisco and Williams townships, Dauphin County, an interior within State Game Lands 264.
PPL has requested amendments to two existing right-of-way licenses to construct new or rebuild existing electric transmission facilities across State Game Lands 127 in Tobyhanna and Coolbaugh townships, Monroe County, and State Game Lands 129 in Kidder Township, Carbon County.
This totals nearly 348 acres, which PPL has agreed to convey to the Game Commission in lieu of habitat and surface damages and annual license fees in excess of the minimum fees required under Pa. Code §§135.221-135.225.
The amended right-of-way license on State Game Lands 127 would result in 3,720 linear feet of new 100-foot-wide right-of-way (about 8.5 acres), in addition to the 16,878 linear feet of existing 100-foot-wide right-of-way (about 39 acres) that has been licensed since 1976.
The amended license also will authorize PPL to use a total of 11,575 linear feet of roads outside of the new and existing rights-of-way for construction and future maintenance of the transmission line on State Game Lands 127.
The amended right-of-way license on State Game Lands 129 will result in the widening of the existing 3,649 linear-foot right-of-way from 70 feet to 100 feet, an increase in right-of-way acreage of about 2.5 acres, to improve safety and minimize the potential for flashover once PPL rebuilds the 138/69 kV electric transmission line and a 12 kV electric distribution line.
Of the 261 acres to be conveyed adjacent to State Game Lands 91, PPL will reserve the right to construct, operate, maintain and remove future electric utility facilities within a 200-foot-wide right-of-way abutting and parallel to the northeastern boundary of the 182-acre tract, as well as the right to construct, operate, maintain and remove future electric utility facilities anywhere within the 79-acre tract, and the right to utilize 2,829 linear feet of existing access road through these tracts.
Both tracts consist of a mixed oak/maple forest interspersed with stands of hemlock and white pine, and the understory is comprised of low-bush blueberry and mountain laurel.
The tracts are located in the Upper Lehigh River watershed and contain portions of the headwaters of White House Run, Kendall Creek, and associated unnamed tributaries, as well as numerous forested and scrub-shrub wetland complexes.
Both tracts also provide critical summer roost habitat for eastern small-footed bats, a Pennsylvania threatened species.
Access to the 261-acre tract is available either from state Route 115 or Buck River Road. PPL will not reserve any rights on the more than 86-acre tract within State Game Lands 264. This tract consists of a primarily dry-oak mixed hardwood forest interspersed with herbaceous openings and a Game Commission administrative road, with the forested understory comprised of a mix of striped maple, dogwood, hophornbeam, low-bush blueberry, huckleberry and mountain laurel.
The tract is located almost entirely within the Bear Creek valley, with its eastern end extending into the headwaters of West Branch Rausch Creek.
Acquisition of this acreage will eliminate an interior on State Game Lands 264 and secure access through State Game Lands 264.
The board also approved a land exchange with Nestle Waters North America Inc.
Nestle is offering more than 18 acres in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County, adjacent to State Game Lands 80 and 89 acres in Ross Township, Monroe County, adjacent to State Game Lands 168.
This totals more than 107 acres and, in exchange for this land, Nestle has requested a Surface Use Cooperative Spring Water Recharge Protection Agreement involving about 184 acres in Lynn Township, Lehigh County, within State Game Lands 217.
Under the agreement, the Game Commission and anyone under the commission's control, except with written consent from Nestle, would agree not to engage in certain activities within the recharge area. Those activities include, but are not limited to, development, earth disturbance, surface mining or rock quarrying, timbering, road construction, placement of hazardous materials, implementation of prescribed fire techniques, and spraying herbicides, insecticides or other chemicals that may adversely impact the surface or groundwater recharge area supplying springs located on private property and utilized by Nestle.
The Game Commission would further agree not to withdraw, or allow others under the Commission's control to withdraw, surface or groundwater from the recharge area for transfer or use off of the recharge area. The commission would have the right to use water on the recharge area for normal and customary wildlife and related land management activities. There are no other limitations on the management activities, and selective timber cutting or limited timber cutting to create clearings for wildlife habitat or manage diseased trees, vegetation management, and hunting and trapping would continue to be allowed.
The acreage that would be acquired in Schuylkill County spans two tracts that are forested with mixed hardwoods and would provide critical access from Swopes Valley Road into a large section of State Game Lands 80 that now has limited access. The Monroe County property is forested mainly with maple, chestnut oak, birch and black gum and lies on the north slope of Blue Mountain. The property adjoins National Park Service lands to the south and access would through the existing State Game Lands 168.

LEASE AGREEMENTS TO BRING IN MORE THAN $670K
Deals would result in no surface disturbance to game lands.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved a lease agreement that would add more than $100,000 to the Game Fund without causing any surface disturbance to game lands.
Range Resources Appalachia LLC has requested the Game Commission offer its oil and gas ownership under an about 41-acre portion of State Game Lands 117. The proposed tract is located in Smith Township, Washington County,
Range has leased the privately owned oil and gas rights under the majority of State Game Lands 117 and surrounding private lands, and has initiated unconventional well drilling and development programs in the vicinity of the proposed tract, Range has the ability to unitize the Game Commission's oil and gas reserve by horizontal drilling with no surface disturbance to the tract.
The terms and conditions of the agreement are a five-year paid-up nonsurface-use oil and gas agreement, a $2,500-per-acre bonus payment and 19 percent royalty for all oil/gas and other liquids or condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract.
The bonus payment of $102,700 may be deposited into the Game Fund or into an interest-bearing escrow account for the future purchase of wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting, furtaking and wildlife resource management. Future rentals and royalties owed the Commission shall be directly deposited into the Game Fund.
Oil and gas development will be regulated by the Commonwealth's oil and gas regulations and the Commission's standard Restricted Surface Use Oil and Gas Development Agreement.
Additionally, Vantage Energy, of Englewood, Colo., requested the Game Commission offer its oil and gas rights under a 114-acre portion of State Game Lands 223 located in Perry Township, Greene County.
Vantage has a strong privately owned oil/gas lease position surrounding the game lands, and has initiated unconventional well drilling and development in the vicinity of the proposed tract. Vantage has the ability to unitize and develop the commission's oil and gas reserve under the proposed tract by horizontal drilling with no surface use or disturbance to the game lands.
Game Commission staff has negotiated the proposed terms of the agreement in an effort to prudently develop the commission's oil/gas reserve and simultaneously protect the wildlife resources and recreational uses of State Game Lands 223.
The terms of the agreement are a three-year paid-up non-surface-use oil and gas agreement, a $5,000-per-net-oil-and-gas-acre bonus payment and 18 percent royalty for all oil/gas and other liquids or condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract.
The bonus payment of approximately $570,500 can be deposited either into the Game Fund or an interest-bearing escrow account to be used for the future purchase of wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting, furtaking and wildlife-resource management.
Future rentals and royalties owed the Game Commission shall be directly deposited into the Game Fund. Oil and gas development will be regulated by the Commonwealth's oil and gas regulations and the Commission's standard restricted surface use oil and gas cooperative agreement.

FREE GAS TO BE PIPED TO GAME COMMISSION BUILDING
Approval to drill well on Indiana County game lands carries benefit.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today approved a measure that would allow Susquehanna Exploration and Production LLC to drill a third well on State Game Lands 262 in Indiana County.
In exchange for the approval, gas will be piped and provided free annually to a Game Commission food and cover building from an existing well on the game lands.
Susquehanna has two existing wells on State Game Lands 262 that result from an agreement approved in April 2004. Under the agreement, the Game Commission approved an assignment of oil and gas rights on a more than 99-acre parcel in exchange for coal and coal mining rights on nearly 178 acres located on State Game Lands 262 in Banks Township, Indiana County. That agreement now has been amended to include the rights to drill a third well.
In exchange for the rights to drill and produce the new well, Susquehanna would install a 5,000-foot pipeline from an existing well and provide up to 250 MCF of free gas annually to the commission's food and cover building on State Game Lands 262. That well is located on a portion of the game lands for which the commission does not own oil and gas rights.

Contact:
Travis Lau
717-705-6541
trlau@pa.gov