Geographic Region Western Ohio Southeastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, most of West Virginia Northern Ohio, Mid New York Northeastern Ohio, Northern Pennsylvania, most of New York Eastern Pennsylvania, Northeastern West Virginia Land type and Elevation Nearly level to gently sloping Varied: Appalachian Mountains to gently rolling plateaus Gently sloping Plateaus, plains, and mountains Piedmont, ridges and valleys Agricultural Climate Favoring agriculture Hardwood forests: 75% of area Favoring agriculture Much of the land is forested Favoring Agriculture Types of Agriculture Corn, soybean, and feed Forestry important, farm income largely from beef and dairy farming, supported by hay and pasture Dairy important, fruits, wine grapes West: Feed grains (corn and soybeans) and forage for dairy cattle. East: hay, pasture, grain for dairy cattle Farming is highly diversified with many large-scale farms Source: Regional descriptions are adapted from USDA, 2006 Table 7. Land Resource Region Summary of Unconventional Drilling (2002-2012) Land Resource Regions All Regions Central Feed Grains and Livestock East and Central Farming and Forest Lake Fruit, Truck Crop and Dairy Northeastern Forage and Forest Northern Atlantic Slope Diversified Farming Geographic Location W- OH SE- OH W- PA WV Mid NY N- OH NY N- OH N- PA E- PA NE- WV Drilling Counties 103 2 74 0 18 9 Non-Drilling Counties 169 37 19 25 53 35 Total Counties 272 39 93 25 71 44 Drilling Counties % 37.9% 5.1% 79.6% 0% 25.4% 20.5% Total Wells Drilled 8,738 2 5157 0 3,499 80 Total Wells Drilled % 100% 0.02% 59% 0% 40% 1% Year of Drilling Onset* 2005 - 2005 - 2008 2012 *Defined as the year when the number of cumulative unconventional wells drilled is greater than 80. Sources: Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; West Virginia Geological & Economic Survey Figure 2. USDA Land Resource Regions. Source: USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. V. Results Summary and Implications
All Counties $11,878.7 $32,991.4 $14,411.2 $6,616.5 $18,641 Table 10B. Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold per Farm, by Land Resource Region (2007-2012) Number of Wells Central Feed Grains and Livestock Region (2 wells) East and Central Farming and Forest Region (5,157 wells) Lake Fruit, Truck Crop and Dairy Region (0 wells) Northeastern Forage and Forest Region (3,499 wells) Northern Atlantic Slope Diversified Farming Region (80 All Land Resource Regions (8,738 wells) Average Percent Change All Counties 42.5% 26.7% 30.0% 14.0% 21.3% 25.4% Drilling Activity None (0) 43.2% 19.1% 30.0% 15.3% 19.5% 25.4% Any (1+) 30.0% 28.7% - 10.9% 27.6% 25.4% Significant (21+) - 28.8% - 8.9% 14.1% 25.5% Drilling Intensity Limited (1-20) 30.0% 28.6% - 12.2% 29.3% 25.3% Medium (21-80) - 24.6% - 14.0% 14.1% 23.1% Extensive (81+) - 32.8% - 6.8% - 27.6% Average Change All Counties $49,578 $4,108.6 $41,137 $12,064.5 $17,802.2 $18,641
$351/acre, and the highest increase was in New York at $1,831.5/acre. In terms of LRRs, the East and Central region had the largest average percentage increase and the Central region had the lowest. The Central region also had the lowest value increase at $343.5/acre. The largest average increase occurred in the Northern Atlantic region at $2,201/acre. Across the region, counties with more drilling had higher average percentage changes in the market value of land and buildings per acre for 2002-2007. This pattern holds for each of the three LRRs with drilling (Table 20B). Similarly in Pennsylvania, counties with drilling experienced higher average percentage changes. However, in West Virginia, average percentage increase was lower in drilling relative to non-drilling counties. In Ohio, where considerable drilling occurred only after 2011, changes were only slightly higher in drilling counties and similar between non-drilling and counties with limited drilling (Table 19B). Table 19B. Market Value of Land and Buildings per Acre, by State (2002-2007) Number of Wells New York (0 wells) Ohio (238 wells) Pennsylvania (6,230 wells) West Virginia (2,270 wells) All States (8,738 wells) Average Percent Change All Counties 21.8% 14.3% 27.1% 51.9% 26.9% Drilling Activity None (0) 21.8% 13.8% 13.4% 70.5% 20.0% Any (1+) - 16.3% 36.5% 47.8% 37.7% Significant (21+) - 39.2% 37.3% 45.1% 40.9% Drilling Intensity Limited (1-20) - 12.0% 35.3% 50.4% 34.8% Medium (21-80) - 42.7% 31.0% 47.5% 39.2% Extensive (81+) - 32.1% 42.7% 43.0% 42.4% Average Change All Counties $1,831.5 $351.0 $548.0 $870.4 $816.9 Table 20B. Market Value of Land and Buildings per Acre, by Land Resource Region (2002-2007)