Upper Green River Valley Faces Industrial-Scale Energy Development

by Kelly Matheson and Tom Darin

Jonah Field Peter Aengst / The Wilderness Society / Light Hawk

Southwestern Wyoming's Upper Green River Valley is renowned for its wild country, abundant wildlife, critical big-game migration corridors and rich deposits of oil and natural gas. Conservationists and growing numbers of valley residents are determined to protect the Upper Green's remaining undeveloped public lands, while the Bureau of Land Management and oil and gas companies are equally determined to industrialize the valley.

Citizens Want Protection…

As manager of most of the Upper Green's vast public lands, the BLM is revising its overarching Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the valley. More than 17,000 citizens responded to the agency's initial call for comments, the vast majority of whom expressed concerns about the rapid acceleration of oil and gas development in the valley and its impacts on wildlife and air and water quality. A recent editorial published in the Pinedale Roundup (see sidebar) further illustrates the public's growing worries.

…But Industry and the BLM Have Other Plans

Despite valley residents' concerns, the BLM recently announced two more major oil and gas projects in the Upper Green.

First, industry proposes to add up to 210 conventional gas and coalbed methane wells adjacent to the boundary of the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Second, the region's Jonah Field, which already has more than 500 approved oil and gas wells, is slated for up to 1,250 additional wells. The impact of this proposal is perhaps best illustrated by looking at the accompanying photo of the area's existing fragmentation and envisioning "infilling" these wells with nearly three times their current density.

Public involvement is crucial in protecting at least part of the Pinedale region from the destructive impacts of industrialscale energy development.

The Tail is Wagging the Dog

Nothing more dramatically highlights how difficult it is these days to delineate where the BLM "ends" and industry "begins" than the agency's first public meeting on the Jonah Infill Project.

The BLM initially notified citizens that the meeting would be held at the public library in Pinedale one April evening. Industry decided to host a barbeque the same day, and an industry representative posted a note on the library door redirecting interested citizens to its private party for the BLM's public meeting.

Amazingly, the BLM acquiesced, making a last-minute decision to change the location of the meeting to industry's home court. We at WOC have never seen the BLM show such blatant disregard for balanced public input on the use of our public lands.

Never Say Never

In its outdated 1988 Resource Management Plan, and, more recently, in a 2000 written decision, the BLM banned oil and gas drilling in the Upper Green's crucial big-game winter range to avoid additional stress on mule deer and other wildlife already battling the harsh Wyoming elements. However, the agency then reversed course, granting an industry request to drill a well throughout the 2002/2003 winter season. It did so without public participation and without an adequate environmental analysis, both of which are required by law. With the help of LAW Fund attorney Mindy Harm Benson, WOC and other groups are challenging the BLM's unprecedented decision in court.

Wanting it ALL

With 85 percent of the 1.2-million-acre Pinedale Resource Area irreversibly committed to oil and gas leases, one would think that industry has its hands full developing its numerous, large-scale existing projects. But this is not enough - industry wants it all.

In 2000, the BLM made an important decision regarding unleased lands, primarily along the Wind River Front: no more oil and gas leasing until it revised its outdated 1988 RMP to address development issues. However, in August 2002, industry filed an administrative appeal, asserting its right to immediately lease in these sensitive riparian and forest-fringe habitats. WOC promptly intervened to protect the region's open spaces, wildlife habitat, clean air and water and quality back-country recreation opportunities.

This battle underscores the importance of involvement in the BLM's Resource Management Plan revision process by concerned citizens, conservationists and the scientific community if we are to successfully protect at least part of the Pinedale region from the destructive impacts of industrial-scale energy development. WOC intends to be there every step of the way.