The sale has yet to be finalized... but in a 1.5 million dollar deal... Pioneer Natural Resources of Texas was the sole bidder on most of the land. Under the agreement, the company will also pay 500-thousand for each year drilling takes place.

Gretchen Leslie is spokesperson for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. She says turnout was lower than anticipated, but in terms of revenue, the auction still represents the state's largest-ever sale of drilling rights.

" We, in the end would have hoped for more response that would have generated more income for the commonwealth. But we're pleased that we generated 1.5 million dollars."

Leslie says the money earned will be used to purchase and protect new state lands.

According to Steve Rhoads, of the trade group, the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association, tight restrictions in the lease discouraged many companies from participating in the auction.

r"There are a number of companies in the Appalachian Basin and in Pennsylvania in particular who have been very active in West Virginia, New York, and Ohio. And the terms of this lease basically drove all of them away."

Rhoads says obtaining environmental permits is part of business. But he says the provisions included in this auction were the strictest he's ever seen.

More information's available on the web at GreenWorks.tv. I'm Brad Linder.