To DCNR & Andarko: Proprietary my Dupę

 

Folks, sad as it might seem to some, I read through most of Andarko's heavily redacted development narrative ( The "PLAN" ) for the Loyalsock State Forest on the train ride to/from work yesterday. 

 

For those that don't know me too well, I work in an environment where I read and react to hundreds of emails a day written by some pretty bright legal minds. Very bright, in fact. For the first ~21 years of my career, I did the same with real estate contracts and other legal documents.

 

Put another way, I have worked for ~35 years in businesses with folks who choose their words very carefully. As well, I must do the same when communicating with them. One of the skills honed after decades of doing this every weekday is the ability to read between the lines and quickly recognize potential, ummm,  "chinks in the armor." 

 

The "PLAN" itself is 102 pages long. Forty-one of those pages have redactions. Thirteen of those 41 pages, minus a header or footer on a few, are completely blacked out.

 

In the DCNR's cover letter below, Mr. Mark Baldwin writes:

 

"Your requested color copy of the Plan, which was received in our office this afternoon, contains the redactions of Andarko's confidential proprietary information and trade secrets."

 

 Hold that thought.

 

 

 

 

On page 7 of the "PLAN", there are what I consider to be 3 redactions.

The two that caught my attention were:

"This resulted in identifying XXXXXXXXX of existing DCNR roads that will need to be rebuilt and upgraded to provide safe and reliable access for drilling and completion operations. Additionally, approximately XXXXXXXXX of new access road will need to be constructed on forest acreage. "

Now folks, it does not take a Juris Doctor or a degree in rocket science to read between the lines here.
 
Andarko has redacted either the number of miles or acreage of the roads in Loyalsock that they will need to upgrade or build from scratch. And with up to a 40' foot width (ROW) in some areas due to "rugged terrain", a whole lotta trees are coming down.

I am not a betting person. I work too hard for ( and need ) my money. But if I were, I'd bet the ranch that I am right in my assertions above regarding the redacted language.

And how, may I ask, is that information proprietary or a trade secret?
 

"Confidential" I do understand, as Andarko and the DCNR definitely do not want the citizens of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to know how much of their state forest is going to be ripped up raped to allow Andarko to build the roads it needs to drill there.

That's one of 41 pages. Who knows what else they're hiding?

In the eyes of this Pennsylvanian, from top to bottom, Tom Corbett's administration is in need of one huge enema...of sorts. 

 

I have some good ideas about accomplishing just that...

Have a good weekend folks.