PA Environment Digest Blog: Agencies Celebrate Eastern Hellbender License Plate Recognizing PA’s Clean Water Ambassador; Gas Development On DCNR Land Threatens Habitat

On October 2, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Tim Schaeffer celebrated the recently launched Eastern Hellbender license plate, which honors the state amphibian-- Pennsylvania's clean water ambassador-- and supports the Wild Resource Conservation Fund.

Unfortunately, impacts from shale gas development on DCNR State Forest land in watersheds like the Loyalsock in Lycoming County are having a negative impact on Eastern Hellbender habitat. (see below)

The Eastern Hellbender is the largest salamander in the United States with some reaching a weight of more than two pounds and extending an impressive length of two feet.

It became Pennsylvania’s state amphibian in 2019, a designation that promotes the need to restore water quality and preserve habitat for the amphibian.

The Shapiro Administration is committed to protecting Pennsylvania’s natural resources, including clean water for Pennsylvanians and the Commonwealth’s native species.

“Honoring the Eastern hellbender with a license plate is a great way to raise awareness about our state amphibian and the work the Wild Resource Conservation Program does to protect our rare plants and animals,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Thank you to DCNR staff, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its Student Leadership Program, Senator Gene Yaw, and all of the partners who helped make this license plate possible.”

The first Wild Resource Conservation Fund registration plate became available in February 1999 and featured the Saw-Whet Owl.

The Eastern Hellbender is the third Wild Resources Conservation Fund Plate and joins the River Otter Plate as the official plate for the fund.

“Because of its recognizable name, impressive size, and fascinating appearance, the Eastern hellbender has become a wonderful ambassador for Pennsylvania’s rich diversity of native fish, reptiles, and amphibians and other aquatic species,” said Tim Schaeffer, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director and Chairman of the Wild Resource Conservation Program. “While many of these animals are so rare that most Pennsylvanians may never see one in the wild, this license plate is a visible reminder that all species are valuable parts of Pennsylvania ecosystems and are worth protecting. The Eastern hellbender is also a relevant and charismatic barometer of local water quality.”

The Department of Transportation offers several special fund registration plates, including the Wild Resource Conservation Fund plate.

These $15 plates support various causes across the Commonwealth from preserving Pennsylvania’s heritage to honoring out veterans.

“PennDOT is proud of the number of special fund plates we offer and the diverse missions of the organizations the funds generated support,” PennDOT Bureau of Motor Vehicles Director Stephen Madrak said. “It’s a good opportunity for a government agency to be able to give back to the people it serves.”

The Wild Resources Conservation Fund was created in 1982 to, among other things, aid in the conservation of the Commonwealth’s flora and non-game fauna.

It set up the ability for citizens to support the management of wild resources by creating a contribution opportunity through a tax check-off and license plate program, furthering management and conservation.

“The Eastern Hellbender is the largest and most unique salamander in North America,” state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) said. “It serves as a meaningful symbol of Pennsylvania’s clean water and biological diversity and is worthy of this important designation. I am grateful to the Wild Resource Conservation Program for recognizing the hellbender and encouraging citizen engagement in its preservation and protection.”

“Chesapeake Bay Foundation student leaders past and present will always be proud of the role we played in getting the Eastern hellbender designated as Pennsylvania’s official state amphibian, and we thank the Wild Resource Conservation Program for this wonderful license plate,” said Emma Stone, former President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Student Leadership Council. “We would especially like to thank Senator Yaw for helping us reach our goal and for believing in what the hellbender stands for. In the process, we learned a lot about this special salamander and how government works. Those lessons will stay with us always, as will what the hellbender teaches us about the challenges and importance of having clean rivers and streams.”

Each year, these funds support the survey, research, management, and conservation of wild resources through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s Wild Resource Conservation Program.

Visit DCNR’s website for more information about the Wild Resource Conservation Program and check out DCNR’s Calendar of Events for programming on public lands.

Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.

Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog, Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

Gas Development Threatens Hellbender Habitat

Surveys of Loyalsock Creek in Lycoming County over several summers by Dr. Peter Petokas, a Hellbender expert from Lycoming College Clean Water Institute, found habitats of the rare Eastern Hellbender salamander are being significantly impacted by sediment plumes from natural gas pipeline crossing and shale gas drilling-related water withdrawal construction projects on State Forest Land managed by DCNR. Read more here.

The Department of Environmental Protection and Friends of the ‘Sock have documented continuing sediment pollution plumes from a natural gas pipeline stream crossing and water withdrawal construction site on the Loyalsock Creek at the Pennsylvania General Energy Loyalsock/Shawnee site in Gamble Township, Lycoming County. Read more here. Read more here.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is approving more water withdrawal points along the Loyalsock related to shale gas development on State Forest land that will result in further impacts. Read more here.

The Game Commission recently leased more of its land in the Loyalsock Watershed for shale gas development as well. Read more here.

Sen. Gene Yaw represents the Loyalsock Watershed in the state Senate but has not done anything to protect the Eastern Hellbender habitats from these impacts.

The industrialization of State Forest land generally by shale gas leases issued by Gov. Rendell in 2008-2010 are having significant impacts on many watersheds.

Last week a member of the Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group briefed a DCNR advisory committee on the impacts in the Tioga State Forest and Tioga County. Read more here.

Related Articles - Hellbender Habit Damaged By Gas Infrastructure On Public Lands:

-- Bay Journal: Hellbender Habitat Slammed By Pollution From Shale Gas Development In PA's Loyalsock Creek - By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal [PaEN - 12.8.22]

-- Rare Eastern Hellbender Habitat In Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County Harmed By Sediment Plumes From Pipeline Crossings, Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawal Construction Projects [PaEN - 9.15.22]

-- Game Commission Board OKs More Shale Gas Drilling In Lycoming County, Home To The Hellbender, And Sullivan County [PaEN- 9.21.23]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 8 Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawals - 1 In Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek, Home To The Hellbender [PaEN - 9.21.23]

-- Legal Victory Puts Hellbender Back On Track For Federal Endangered Species Protection - By Waterkeeper Alliance [PaEN - 9.8.23]

NewsClips This Week:

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: ‘What Is That Thing On Your License Plate?’ New Promotion Highlights PA’s State Amphibian - Eastern Hellbender

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA’s ‘Snot Otter’ [Eastern Hellbender] Gets Prime Spot On New State License Plate

-- PA Capital-Star: State Officials Celebrate Launch Of New Eastern Hellbender License Plate

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 -- Company Tries To Limit DEP Investigation; Unauthorized Water Withdrawals; Can’t Pay For Reno Cleanup; Venting Gas Wells; More Abandoned Conventional Wells [PaEN]