A coalition of concerned citizens from the area gathered Sunday
at the Rimrock Scenic Overlook near Warren to inform visitors to
the area about the threat of oil and gas drilling near and around
the site.

Friends of Rimrock, a group of people concerned about the
well-being of recreation in the Allegheny National Forest, set up
informational tables complete with leaflets and petitions to combat
oil and gas drilling near Rimrock.

The display was the result of an escalating battle with the
Allegheny National Forest and the threat of at least one oil
company that has the intent to drill oil and gas wells in the
vicinity of the Rimrock Overlook.

A spokesperson for the Friends of Rimrock, Reg Darling, said
Sunday “I wouldn’t call it a protest – we were not picketing, we
were not being disruptive, I don’t even think that we ruined
anyone’s day. We were just making sure that the people who came
there to enjoy the overlook knew that it was endangered and
why.”

Darling, a retired state official and Pennsylvania State
coordinator for Back County Hunters and Anglers, is one of many
organization representatives involved in the Friends of Rimrock. At
the display, members of the Tionesta Valley Snowmobile Association,
Allegheny Outdoors Adventurers, the Allegheny Defense Project, as
well as many others, offered their expertise in educating the
visitors of Rimrock.

“We were a voice speaking for many more people, letting people
know that they could speak on behalf of this place (Allegheny
National Forest),” said Darling. “We were there to offer an
educational process.”

For his part, Bill Belitskus, a member of the Friends of Rimrock
and board chairman of the Allegheny Defense Project, said “We
received a great thanks for being out there. Oil and gas companies
are impacting all of the other uses on the forest. There is a lot
to talk about and there is no formal process for that to occur in
the ANF.”

According to Belitskus, the Forest Service power structure has
kept the public in the dark with oil and gas and timber industry
plans on mineral excavation. In addition to the lack of information
that is being offered to the public and concerned organizations,
Belitskus claims forest officials are ignoring the national
standards of public comment and disclosure outlined by the National
Environmental Forestry Act.

“We are doing the best we can to inform the public on the
devastation that could occur to the area if it is subject to oil
and gas drilling,” said Belitskus. “Through the NEPA, the ANF is
suppose to have an environmental analysis that includes public
comment to better develop alternative proposals. So we need to
continue to contact everyone we can to protect Rimrock for future
generations.”

Tourists from the local area, along with visitors from
Pittsburgh, Buffalo, N.Y., Cleveland, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, Tennessee
and North Carolina were said to be at the display visiting the
overlook, according to Belitskus.

“We have had a petition available to sign for people who agree
with our cause. One thing we need to remember is that the ANF is a
national forest.”

A call seeking comment from Craig Mayer, legal counsel for the
Pennsylvania General Energy Co., in Warren, was not immediately
returned Sunday night. PGE has oil and gas interests throughout the
national forest.