Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association Allegheny National Forest Committee Chairman Craig Mayer said the environment is not an issue when it comes to oil and gas development on the Forest.

Groups that complain about environmental degradation actually have another agenda, he said.

"It's not about environmental protection," he said. "It's about land use preference."

If the environment were threatened by development, state agencies would step in.

"The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inspects and regulates all the time," Mayer said. "The streams and waterways have improved."

"The responsibility for the environmental aspects of what we do is managed by DEP," he said.

The National Environmental Policy Act does not apply, he said.

"The Allegheny National Forest was decidedly and clearly singled out by the Congress of the United States to not apply any additional rules," Mayer said.

That original policy means that later attempts, including the Forest Plan of 2007, by the Forest Service to regulate subsurface rights on the forest are out of bounds.

Mayer said those proposed changes are "in direct violation of the acquiring legislation."

"This is overwhelming," he said of the language in the plan. "We're concerned that they simply want to ignore (the original contractual agreement) and circumvent their constitutional and statutory duties and responsibilities."

"It is the height of arrogance to presume to preclude you from use of that area," Mayer said.

The rules for eminent domain require just compensation. If the government is allowed to ignore those rules, it will, he said. "It could happen to you and it will if you allow it to happen to others."

According to Mayer, the portion of the forest upon which a tree can not be planted because of oil and gas development has changed very little since 1931.

"Of the land in the national forest, 1.4 percent is removed because of a road or well site," he said.

Groups that talk about "damage and destruction" are not hitting the mark, Mayer said. "That's not what's going on."

Further, those groups that oppose the economic uses of the Forest are hurting local people.

"They're having an impact on our community," Mayer said. The industry is "properly regulated and critical to the economy."