Stop Baca NWR Drilling!!
The draft environmental assessment for proposed gas drilling on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge can be viewed by clicking on the link at fws.gov/Alamos/BacaNWR.html.
Public comments are due by March 2, can be e-mailed to baca_ea@fws.gov or mailed to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ATTN: Michael Blenden, 9383 El Rancho Lane, Alamosa, CO 81101.
PLEASE WRITE!!
The Fish and Wildlife Service received 48,500 letters from people across the country as it tried to set the scope of the environmental assessment; most were from people opposing the drilling. Two archeologists with the Smithsonian Institution wrote about their work in the area, suggesting discoveries of projectile points and other artifacts could be the "tip of a very large iceberg" threatened by drilling activities.
Contact Aurielle Andhara aurielle_a@yahoo.com (719) 256-5824
MEDIA
Read the Independent report on the battle
Read the Center Post-Dispatch report here
Denver Post report on the residents battling the Canadian drilling company
Talking Points for letter on Environmental Assessment
- Doesn't address maintenance of all seasonal wildlife restrictions and protect wildlife migration corridors,
- Doesn't address endangered, threatened, and species of concern like the Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, American Perigrine Falcon, Townsend's Big-Eared Bat, Northern Pocket Gopher, Burrowing Owl, Western Snowy Plover, the Mountain Plover, Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Rio Grande Sucker, Rio Grande Chub, Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, Short-Horned Lizard, Greater SandHill Crane, Long Billed Curlew, Slender Spider Flower, Northern Leopard Frog,
- Doesn't
address Greter Sage Grouse and White-Tailed Prairie Dog which FWS has
to do population and threat research after lawsuit.
- Doesn't require directional drilling wherever technically possible,
- Doesn't address controlling sediment runoff into watersheds to protect native Trout, Sucker, Chub, etc.
- Doesn't protect all Class I airsheds from pollution and visibility impairment.
- Doesn't address the drilling rig engine specs
- Doesn't require less than 12 months of diesel engine operation.
- Doesn't require noise abatement.
- Doesn't specify where offsite dumping of drilling fluids nd cuttings.
- Doesn't specify vehicle speeds to avoid road kill accidents.
- Doesn't specify drilling noise reductions likeDiesel-Electric conversion.
- The federal government has offered 229 million acres of public and private land in 12 western states for oil and gas drilling, an area greater than the combined size of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, according to an EWG analysis of land use records maintained by the federal government from 1982 to the present. This acreage represents the sum of total land actively leased in 1982 and land newly offered from 1982 through 2004.
- Despite access to more than 200 million acres of public land over the past 15 years (1989-2003), the oil and gas industry has produced enough energy from this land to satisfy only 53 days of US oil consumption and 221 days of natural gas consumption, according to EWG's analysis of well-by-well oil and gas production records obtained August 16 2004 via a Freedom of Information Act Request. This rate of production amounts to an average of 3.6 days per year of oil and 14.8 days per year of natural gas (MMS 2004, EIA Petroleum Review 2004, EIA Natural Gas Review 2004).
- As these small production figures suggest, drilling on federal lands in the West has done nothing to reduce our dependence on foreign energy. In fact, since 1982, our dependence on foreign oil has doubled and our dependence on foreign natural gas has tripled (EIA Petroleum Review 2004, EIA Natural Gas Review 2004). A recent government estimate found that the five most oil- and gas-rich basins in the western US contain about a 280-day supply of oil and an 8-year supply of natural gas at current rates of consumption -- an analysis that likely overstates the amount of energy that is economically available (Energy Inventory 2003).
- Despite the relatively small amounts of energy in the West, the Bush administration has removed barriers to drilling on a net 45 million acres in 12 western states and has lifted environmental protections and emphasized drilling on lands already open to oil and gas development.
- In producing oil and gas, companies often pump out large quantities of water from underground, particularly in coal bed methane development. In the last 15 years, companies have pumped out 548 billion gallons of water, enough to pour over Niagra Falls for 42 days at the Falls' current flow rate. About 66 percent of that water was reinjected, still leaving 181 billion gallons extracted -- the amount of water that pours over Niagra Falls for 13 days (MMS 2004, CNN 2003). Most so-called "produced water" is unfit for human consumption but removing it can deplete local springs and wells; contaminate land, surface water and ground water; and cause erosion. Reinjection can contaminate groundwater (OGAP 2004).
- Between 2000 and 2004, the oil and gas industry poured more than $75 million into political campaigns, with 79 percent going to Republicans, money that may have influenced administration decisions opening protected public lands to drilling (CRP 2004).
-
analysis shows that in Colorado:
- The federal government has offered 15.9 million acres of public and private land in Colorado for oil and gas drilling, according to an EWG analysis of land use records maintained by the federal government from 1982 to the present. This acreage represents the sum of total land actively leased in 1982 and land newly offered from 1982 through 2004. [see details]
- On August 12, 2004, 137 parcels totaling 161,445 acres were offered for lease in Colorado, primarily in Montrose, Mesa, and Moffat counties (BLM CO 2004).
- Drilling on these lands has done nothing to reduce our dependence on foreign energy. In fact, since 1982, our dependence on foreign oil has nearly doubled and our dependence on foreign natural gas has nearly tripled (EIA Petroleum Review 2004, EIA Natural Gas Review 2004). A recent government estimate found that the five most oil- and gas-rich basins in the western U.S. contain a 279-day supply of oil and an 8-year supply of natural gas at current rates of consumption -- an analysis that likely overstates the amount of energy that is economically available (Energy Inventory 2003).
- Federal data show that Colorado has only 11 days of proven oil reserves, and only 228 days of proven natural gas reserves (EIA 2004).
- Oil produced in Colorado from 1989-2003 totals 19.5 million barrels, an average of 1.7 hour(s) of U.S. consumption per year.
- Natural gas produced in Colorado from 1989-2003 totals 793.3 billion cubic feet, an average of 0.9 day(s) of U.S. consumption per year.
- Based on an EWG analysis of oil and gas production data on western lands, the top three oil and gas producers in Colorado since 1989 are ConocoPhillips, ChevronTexaco Corporation, and Wexpro Co. [see details] These data were obtained by EWG from the Minerals Management Service under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Colorado ranks 3rd among 12 western states for lands currently leased, and 3rd for the amount of land currently producing oil and gas. For total lands held under lease, the top three counties in the state are Rio Blanco County, Moffat County, and Garfield County. The top three companies holding leases in the state are Encana Oil & Gas Inc, Tom Brown Inc, and Exxon Mobil.
- Despite the relatively small amounts of energy in Colorado, the Bush administration has removed barriers to drilling on a net 5,019,614 acres of Colorado public land, and increased pressure on local land managers to approve drilling. [see details]
- Between 2000 and 2004, the oil and gas industry poured more than $75 million into political campaigns, with 79 percent going to Republicans, money that may have influenced administration decisions opening protected public lands to drilling (CRP 2004). [see details]
Maps and Resources -
Map of leasing offered in Colorado:
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http://www.slvec.org/lexam/index.html
Location map of Baca NWR to Great Sand Dunes:
Satellite photo of hwy 17 which runs on the border of the Baca NWR
Proposed drilling sites and roads
Water sampling sites for surface and ground water
"contains one of the largest and most diverse assemblages of wetland habitats remaining in Colorado. In addition to the tremendous biological and ecological resources in this part of the San Luis Valley, there are significant cultural resources."
The CNHP study indicates that the refuge supports at least twenty-eight rare, threatened or endangered species, including the federally endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) and one of the largest known populations of the globally imperiled slender spider flower (Cleome multicaulis). Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDW) biologists recently discovered a genetically unique population of the endangered Rio Grande sucker in the refuge. This robust population is considered by CDW to be critical to the recovery of the species throughout the Rio Grande watershed. The CNHP study also identified healthy examples of the endangered plant community (Populus angfustifolia- Juniperus scopulorum woodland) along the intermediate stretches of Cottonwood, South Crestone, Spanish, and Willow Creek riparian corridors.
In all, 45 animal species were identified in the Baca, including the rare Brazilian free-tailed bat, mountain plover, northern goshawk, Wilson's phalarope, and a locally unique subspecies of the globally vulnerable northern pocket gopher. All of these species and plant communities are expected to occur in the refuge.
To perpetuate migratory bird, interjuris- dictional fish, and marine mammal populations
To conserve a diversity of fish, wildlife and plants
To conserve and restore as appropriate
GOALS, AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a national network of lands set aside specifically for wildlife and their respective habitats. This priority-use mandate for wildlife is unique when compared to the mandates of other federal land management agencies such as the USFS and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which have multiple-use mandates.
"Rural Impact" video on Baca National Wildlife Refuge Drilling
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