WHITNEY ROYSTER Star-Tribune environmental reporter | Posted: Monday, December 4, 2006 12:00 am
JACKSON - Several conservation groups have filed a protest with the Bureau of Land Management over a Dec. 5 lease sale for five parcels around Merna and Cora.
The parcels, mostly BLM lands, include migration routes and big game crucial winter ranges, the groups said in their protest.
"Oil and gas development has and will lead to fragmented habitat and surface disturbances through well pad construction, oil and gas well rigs, increased vehicular traffic, miles of roads, pipelines and power lines, and noise from generators and compressor stations," the protest said. "All of these associated activities serve to disrupt habitat, destroy nesting and brooding grounds, and disturb wildlife."
The Wyoming Outdoor Council, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Wilderness Society, Upper Green River Valley Coalition and Biodiversity Conservation Alliance submitted the protest to BLM State Director Bob Bennett in November.
Molly Absolon of the outdoor council said the leases were protested because of a need to balance natural gas development in the Upper Green River area.
"Right now there is an unprecedented rate of development taking place and its impacts are just beginning to be felt - deteriorating air quality, declining mule deer and sage grouse populations, to say nothing of the increase in crime and drug use in the local communities," she said. "Wyoming people want to be able to enjoy their public lands and wildlife. For that reason we need to move slowly to ensure we do not sacrifice these values unnecessarily."
Bruce Hinchey, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said he was not aware of the new protests, but it was not unexpected as similar protests have been filed in the past.
"I think the analysis was done correctly and that will prove out in the end, but until then this is a process that we'll have to live with," he said.
The groups have protested several lease sales in the last year, mainly in the Wyoming Range, where they argued leasing was approved with adequate environmental analysis. Those protests were denied by Bennett, but then appealed to the Interior Board of Land Appeals, which agreed with the groups and issued a stay on the leases sold. The IBLA ruled the groups had a strong likelihood of winning on appeal based on their case.
The parcels currently under protest all carry similar reasoning - that adequate environmental analysis was not done. Impacts to air quality and wildlife habitat was not adequately studied, particularly in light of the huge development boom in the Upper Green River Valley, the groups argued.
When a lease is protested, it can still be sold at auction, but it is flagged as being under protest. If it is ultimately determined ineligible for development, bidders will be refunded their money.
News Tracker
Last we knew: The BLM was planning another lease sale for Tuesday.
The latest: Five lease parcels outside Pinedale have been protested.
What's next: The BLM director will rule on whether or not to pull the parcels; if not, they will be sold and possibly appealed.
Environmental reporter Whitney Royster can be reached at (307) 734-0260 or at royster@tribcsp.com.