Fish and Boat Commission lakes
The Fish and Boat Commission owns or manages dozens of lakes for fishing and boating. They share one motor rule.
On Fish and Boat Commission lakes no gas engine may propel a boat or power its motor. 58 Pa. Code §53.8(a).
Read the exact wording
An internal combustion engine may not be used to propel a boat or to provide energy to the motor on Commission lakes.
PFBC's Boating FAQ: all Fish and Boat Commission and Game Commission lakes are electric-motors-only. PFBC Boating FAQs: horsepower question.
Read the exact wording
All Fish and Boat Commission and Game Commission lakes are restricted to electric motors only.
Electric-powered boats on Commission lakes must stay at slow, no-wake, and a gas engine may stay attached as long as it isn't run. 58 Pa. Code §53.8(a)
Paperwork
Any boat using a Commission lake or access area must be registered, except unpowered boats with a valid PFBC use permit or DCNR launch or mooring permit. 58 Pa. Code §53.8(f).
Unpowered boats can use a PFBC use permit or a DCNR launch or mooring permit instead of registration.
How we decide a lake is a Commission lake
We count a lake as a Fish and Boat Commission lake when PFBC's property map shows Commission-owned parcels covering at least half of the lake, or when the lake's own PFBC page says it is owned by the Commonwealth and managed by the Commission. We do not use the Commission's navigation list of lakes, which also includes lakes it doesn't own.
Sources differ
On 2 Commission lakes (Lily Lake, Long Pond), Chapter 111 allows gas motors while the Commission-lake rule bans them. Those pages show both texts and say 'Check official text'.