Firing of conservation panel official decried

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

The longtime head of a citizens advisory committee on Pennsylvania’s parks and forests has been fired, an action that fellow members and environmentalists say could reduce public oversight over gas drilling in state forests.

Kurt Leitholf, who has been executive director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Citizens Advisory Council since 1996, was told last week by the Corbett administration that his position was being eliminated, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said. Leitholf told the paper that he was disappointed by the decision, which took effect Friday.

Department spokeswoman Christina Novak said officials determined that funding a full-time executive director was “not cost-effective. She said departmental legislative liaison Joe Graci will perform Leitholf’s duties in addition to his own.

Eric Martin, one of two remaining original council members, accused the administration of trying to pre-empt public oversight of the department amid Marcellus Shale gas- drilling on forest land.

“Aside from what we, the council, feel was an illegal firing, this is a clear message from the executive suite regarding citizen involvement and transparency,” he told the paper in an email. “Funny that one of our hot topics is Marcellus Shale.”

Pennsylvania has leased one-third of its 2.1 million-acre forest system for oil and gas drilling, including more than 130,000 acres for Marcellus Shale deep wells. The department during the previous administration warned that more oil and gas development would damage the ecology and wild character of the forests.

Jeff Schmidt, director of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club, said the termination undercuts the independence of the advisory committee and will hamper its ability to scrutinize drilling in state forests and parks at a critical time.