The Associated Press | Posted: Friday, July 28, 2006 12:00 am
GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - The small community of Recluse in northern Campbell County will benefit from a settlement over water permit violations by a coal-bed methane company.
Under the agreement, Pinnacle Gas Resources Inc., which is based in Sheridan, will pay $40,000 to the Recluse Community Trust, which is renovating the Recluse's historic community center, according to a news release from the Campbell County Attorney's Office on Friday.
In addition, Pinnacle volunteered another $10,000 to the same trust.
A telephone message left with Pinnacle CEO Pete Schoonmaker was not immediately returned Friday. However, Schoonmaker said in the county's news release that his company requested that money it paid to settle the matter be used to benefit Recluse, which is about 30 miles north of Gillette.
The State Engineer's Office in March ordered Pinnacle to stop production in 14 coal-bed methane wells and cease use of four reservoirs in western Campbell County after inspectors discovered the company had not obtained the proper permits for handling discharged water. In drilling for methane, water is pumped to the surface by wells and typically is collected in reservoirs.
Pinnacle has since completed the permitting process for the wells and is making improvements to the reservoirs to comply with state regulations, according to the county attorney's office.