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                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

                                  CERTIFICATION

                     I, Freddie M. Kotek, certify that:

   1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB of
            Atlas-Energy for the Nineties-Public #8 Ltd..;

   2.       Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
            statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
            necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
            circumstances under which such statements were made, not
            misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

   3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
            financial information included in this report, fairly present
            in all material respects the financial condition, results of
            operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,
            the periods presented in this report;

   4.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are
            responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure
            controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
            13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) [Omission in accordance with SEC
            Release Nos. 33-8238, 34-47986 and IC-26068 (June 5, 2003)]
            for the registrant and have:

            a)       Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or
                     caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be
                     designed under our supervision, to ensure that
                     material information relating to the registrant,
                     including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
                     known to us by others within those entities,
                     particularly during the period in which this report
                     is being prepared;

            b)       [Omitted in accordance with SEC Release Nos. 33-8238,
                     34-47986 and IC-26068 (June 5, 2003)];

            c)       Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                     disclosure controls and procedures and presented in
                     this report our conclusions about the effectiveness
                     of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the
                     end of the period covered by this report based on
                     such evaluation; and

            d)       Disclosed in this report any change in the
                     registrant's internal control over financial
                     reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
                     recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal
                     quarter in the case of an annual report) that has
                     materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
                     materially affect, the registrant's internal control
                     over financial reporting; and

   5.       The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have
            disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal
            control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors
            and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors
            (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

            a)       All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses
                     in the design or operation of internal control over
                     financial reporting which are reasonably likely to
                     adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
                     process, summarize and report financial information;
                     and

            b)       Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                     management or other employees who have a significant
                     role in the registrant's internal control over
                     financial reporting.

Date: 11/14/03
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/s/  Freddie M. Kotek
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Name:  Freddie M. Kotek
Title: Chief Executive Officer of the Managing General Partner

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