Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania and PIOGA Focus on Hunting Safety Near Oil and Gas Operations

WEXFORD, Pa., Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With the peak of hunting season fast approaching in Pennsylvania, the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania (USP) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) today announced a joint effort to emphasize hunting safety in areas where oil and natural gas exploration is taking place in the Commonwealth.  The two organizations contacted members to ensure hunters are aware of increased development activity across the state and the need for vigilance along roads and near drilling locations as hunters and industry workers converge on forests, game lands and private property.

"Safety is the first priority of the USP and its members, and it is critically important this year that

every hunter watch for the presence of more people in the woods," said Steve Mohr, USP's President.

"There is the potential for more vehicles of public and private roads, as well as people conducting different tasks in the process of planning and drilling wells.  Orange should be the color of the day throughout the hunting season for anyone who ventures into our forests."

"Our industry employs thousands of people who will be joining the ranks of the state's hunters in the weeks ahead, and who bring their commitment of safety on the job to their passion for hunting," said Louis D'Amico, PIOGA president and executive director.  "We have urged our members to outfit their employees in blaze orange if they may be in any situation where they may encounter hunters, and be mindful of hunters who may be walking the woods or driving on roads to preferred locations."

"Most important, we encourage hunters to stay clear of drilling locations and the production equipment that remains after the drilling process is completed," added D'Amico.  "It goes without saying that storage tanks should not be used as tree stands."

Many individuals in the oil and gas industry are supporters of game hunting.  In fact, many are part of sportsman groups and enjoy being in the woods on a day off.  Those sportsmen have taken the Game Commission's safety course and are familiar with the five primary safety practices known as SMART:

• Safe direction: keep your firearms pointed in a safe direction at all times.
• Make sure: positively ID your target.
• Always check: know what's beyond your target before shooting.
• Respect firearms: treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
• Trigger caution: do not touch the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

ABOUT PIOGA

The Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA) is the principal non-profit trade association of the Commonwealth's independent oil and gas producers. PIOGA promotes the general welfare of Pennsylvania's crude oil and natural gas exploration and production industry and is committed to the economical and environmentally responsible development, production and use of the Commonwealth's crude oil and natural gas resources.

ABOUT UNIFIED SPORTSMEN OF PENNSYLVANIA

The Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania (USP) is the largest sportsmen organization in Pennsylvania and the only one publically supporting responsible gas drilling.  We are conservationists who believe in sustainable hunting and fishing forever.  We believe Marcellus Gas is a natural resource that will launch Pennsylvania into a clean sustainable energy producing state with the protection of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), the Department of Environmental protection (DEP), the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).

SOURCE Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association