The NY DEC proposes to minimize the impact of gas drilling on wildlife by, where possible, requiring multiple wells per pad, designing pads to minimize tree removal and fit the terrain, planting bushes around the site to create “soft” edges, limiting mowing and prohibiting both mowing and construction during grassland bird nesting season if the pad is located in grassland,
limiting the amount of ground that is disturbed both for well pads and access roads, and requiring reclamation as soon as possible using native species