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Drilling for natural gas can mean more jobs, economic growth and extra money jingling in the pockets of property owners.

It also can mean population growth and its attendant burdens on services, schools and the environment.

County officials, looking to prepare for drilling and what it will mean to the area, recently returned from Fort Worth, Texas, where they studied what gas exploration has meant for that city.

Brent M. Fish of GMC Fish Real Estate, who was among an 11-member task force making the trip, was perhaps most amazed by the nearly 100,000 jobs created in the Fort Worth area from drilling.

"I think that we learned of the economic impact that has had for that area, mainly the amount of jobs there - 88,000 to date," he said. "It could potentially do that for our area, from an economic standpoint."

Fish conceded that expecting drilling to bring that many jobs to Lycoming County might be a stretch, given its significantly smaller population base.

Fort Worth is a city of 534,694 residents, according to the 2000 Census, and part of the sprawling Metroplex area that includes the larger city of Dallas.

However, the potential for more jobs, a booming economy and a stronger housing market cannot be dismissed.

Fish said his real estate agency is planning for what drilling will mean for the housing market.

While in Texas, Fish spoke with officials of some of Fort Worth's suburban communities who noted some significant growth in population.

"I think it could happen here," he said.

So far, gas exploration in this area has brought a more transient population.

Chief county clerk Fred Marty, who coordinated the trip, spoke for all officials in saying the group gleaned "a wealth of information."

As part of a three-day seminar, Fort Worth officials presented topics that included: gas drilling laws, tax issues and mineral values, economic impact, permitting and inspection, land development and citizen concerns.

County officials also had a chance to tour gas well sites.

Fort Worth Texas sits amid the Barnett Shale, which has provided some of the highest natural gas yields in the nation's history.

The Marcellus Shale covers a much larger area, from New York's Southern Tier through central Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

Marty noted a host of public policy issues to consider.

"Now, our task force is to take what they learned and distill that down to critical issues, and start to mobilize other parts of the community," he said. "We want to embrace this technology and phenomenon from an economic standpoint, but at the same time protect our environment and get proper information to the community."

Marty said local officials are keeping in mind that drilling laws here are different than in Texas.

"Oil and gas is regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission, and they do regulation of gas drilling and pipelines."

State Rep. Garth Everett, R-Muncy, a task force member, said public entities should be prepared to deal with the economic windfalls of drilling.

He noted that the Pennsylvania Game Commission has established how it will use money realized from drilling on its properties in other parts of the state.

"I would hope any public entity would do the same thing," he said. "We all need to be aware of these revenues, and what's going on."

Everett said it's very early on in the process, and that's why the task force needs to take the role of learning all it can.

Marty said the county paid trip expenses for county employees who went on the trip. Others who made the trip paid their own way.