Laserfiche WebLink
Page 1 of 2 <br />Miller, Steve <br />From: Loretta Lohman [Iorettalohman @comcast.net] <br />Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 8:31 AM <br />To: Reagan Waskom; Beth Mitchell; Laurie Fisher; Miller, Steve <br />Subject: Pagosa Sun coal -bed 8/20 <br />Commissioners delay bid for <br />resolution on methane drilling <br />A By Tom Carosello <br />Staff Writer <br />The Archuleta County Board of Commissioners was asked to consider adopting a resolution this week stating support for <br />anti - drilling efforts in the HD Mountains. <br />The resolution was presented Tuesday by four members of the "Yellowjacket Outcrop Group," who are concerned with <br />the findings of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) regarding proposed coal -bed methane gas production in the <br />Northern San Juan Basin. <br />The draft statement was released by the U.S. Forest Service in June and analyzes a proposal from six gas companies to <br />develop nearly 300 new coal -bed methane wells on Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and private lands in a <br />study area encompassing 125,000 acres north of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in La Plata and Archuleta counties. <br />The EIS covers seven alternatives that study different development scenarios and mitigation measures and discusses <br />numerous relevant issues, including the physical, social, and biological impacts from development of leases. <br />One of the alternatives, proposed by the gas companies involved - BP America, Pure Resources, XTO Energy, Elmridge <br />Resources, Petrox Resources and Exok - suggests creating 273 well pads and 118 miles of roads in the study area, which <br />would affect an estimated 1,113 acres. <br />The Forest Service's preferred alternative scales back that proposal, recommending the creation of 211 well pads, up to <br />283 bores and 94 miles of roads, a plan that would potentially affect about 965 acres. <br />However, environmentalists and many residents of the area would like to see the scope of the project narrowed even <br />further, especially since development is slated to occur in the HD Mountains. <br />To that effect, "We're not against harvesting the methane," said Yellowjacket Outcrop Group member Kathleen Delzell, <br />"but we have more and more concerns about what might happen ... about the side effects." <br />The potential for water depletion resulting from drilling procedures, as well as possible pollution and contamination from <br />methane seeps were a few of the issues outlined by Delzell. <br />Other issues addressed include the potential threats of coal fires, erosion and vegetation loss resulting from methane <br />production in the HDs. <br />In addition, group members Bill Vance and Brian McCracken indicated at least a portion of the maps used in the EIS are <br />8/23/2004 <br />