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"Respond to Wildland
Threats"
July 15, 2005
Editor’s
Note: Enjoy Lowbagger’s newest section,
where we will spotlight wildland threats in different regions of the
country, provide information on the projects, and contact information
for the project heads. We hope you will join all the other Lowbaggers
out there by sending in a letter or e-mail.
This week we bring you two threats to the redrock chasms of southern
Waterpocket Fold, Utah -- With crude oil prices at high levels it becomes more economical to explore in places where only marginal success might be expected. A big surprise, though, is the following proposal, in an area managed by the National Park Service. The following information is adapted from an alert sent out by the Wilderness Please take a few minutes today to write a comment letter to the National Park Service on this proposed oil well project that would damage fragile redrock lands in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and the comments online using the National Park Service's website. See below for suggested guidelines. The Park Service is asking for scoping comments on the proposed well, though it is not giving out much detail about the project or what resources it is most concerned about. The Park Service and BLM need to hear from you that they must: (1) prepare an environmental impact statement to analyze this destructive project and (2) hold public meetings in major metropolitan areas such as Salt Lake City. Background The National Park Service has begun consideration of a proposed, controversial wildcat oil well in a remote corner of the National Recreation Area. This area, known as be accessed along a rough dirt road that first goes through one of the Bureau of Land Management's crown jewels, the The proposed well pad and access roads would be located in classic redrock country and along a unique geologic formation known as the Waterpocket Fold. In short, the proposed well would be located in one of the most scenic locations in the Glen Canyon NRA/Capitol Reef National Park/ blading a drill pad (also putting in a sludge pit and holding tanks), as well as upgrading (reconstructing) and creating several miles of dirt road. The scars from this project would -- as other failed attempts in the region attest to -- last for many years. Amazingly enough, this lease was issued in 1969 and thus predates Glen Canyon NRA and the GSENM. After a successful legal fight by the Sierra Club in the early 1970's to block a similar oil well, the lease was "suspended" by the BLM and sat idle for over 15 years. In 1990, the lessee submitted an application for a permit to drill (APD) with the Park Service who understandably was not in any hurry to consider approving development in such a sensitive location. After a few years of back and forth, the lessee went away -- but now they're back. To make matters worse, the Park Service (meaning with our tax dollars) is footing the bill -- $50,000 worth -- for the environmental analysis. What You Can Do The Park Service is asking for scoping comments on the proposed well -- though it is not giving out much detail about the project or what resources it is most concerned about. The Park Service and BLM need to hear from you that they must: (1) prepare an environmental impact statement to analyze this destructive project and (2) hold public meetings in major metropolitan areas such as Salt Lake City. Use the following as talking points in your comments. Please use your own words, though. Simply cutting and pasting these into your letter severely reduces the impact, because it becomes clear that you are part of an orchestrated campaign. Individuals letters are always more effective. --The National Park Service (NPS) is wasting its precious resources (both money and staff) to analyze this proposed wildcat well; the development of which would produce, by the Park Service's own estimates, an insignificant amount of oil. --The well and access roads would be located in a unique, fragile and stunning natural environment that has largely healed from the scars of previous unsuccessful wildcat oil wells. --The proposed access roads would either require new construction or substantial reworking and improvement. The environmental analysis should be clear about the direct and indirect impacts from improving these roads, as well as any proposed airstrip improvement. --Full consideration of a no-action alternative is consistent with lease rights--this simply means that the proposed well would not be drilled and the lessee would be free to submit another application for an APD. --Full consideration of an alternative in which the NPS would acquire lease rights (either outright purchase or exchange), keeping in mind the highly speculative nature of the lease and the lessee's decision not to actively pursue drilling for several decades. --The impacts that this well and access roads would have to the area's stunning visual qualities- as well as its important flora and fauna- would be significant. -- Encourage NPS and BLM to hold several public meetings at both the scoping and environmental analysis stages, including one in to fully explain to the American people the risks that the proposed project poses to the Glen Canyon NRA, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante NM. The NPS and BLM should have decided to hold such hearings at the outset of this highly controversial project and from now on they should actively solicit and encourage public participation. Take the time to review and send your comment letter via the Park Service's website by following this link: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?projectID=12592&documentId=11645 The comment deadline is July 31, but why wait, write today! You may also send written comments to: Ms. Kitty Roberts, Superintendent Glen Canyon National Recreation Area P.O. Box 691 Scenic View Drive Rising Powell Reservoir Level Damages Recovering Side Canyons Glen Canyon, Utah -- The last eight years have seen drought on the Colorado Plateau. There has been little rain or runoff into the Colorado River Basin, causing a precipitous drop in the water level at Lake Powell, the reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam. As the water drops, the marvelous side canyons along the runoff, and the reservoir's level is rising, covering some areas. However, as the summer moves along, the water levels will recede again. The fluctuating water level damages the archaeological sites more than either complete submersion or exposure to air. With of Reclamation could store much of this year's runoff in that reservoir rather than in sites and allow the side canyons to continue along in the process of restoration. The following Action Alert comes from the Glen Canyon Institute, a group seeking to restore a free-flowing Sunday, June 19, on the front page of the opinion section, the Times ran an opinion piece which argued that to restore itself by storing water in It recognized that there is not enough water now, and that there will be even less water available in the future, to try to refill pointed out that it is the overuse of the river, not the drought that has lowered the level of Lake Powell. It also editorialized in favor of the re-designation of the National Recreation Area as Park position thus far. To read the full story, click or copy and paste the URL into your browser: http://www.glencanyon.org/press/PDF/6-19-05LATimes.pdf The Bureau of Reclamation is now soliciting public comments as they develop strategies for how water is stored and managed in the Powell and Mead reservoirs. This is the perfect opportunity for you to tell key decision makers that you want to see sustainable water supply for the west. Use the talking points below (in your own words) to write or email your own letters to Gale Norton, Robert Johnson, and Rick Gold urging them to Fill Lake Mead First and protect Glen Canyon's priceless cultural, biological, and scenic resources from being flooded again. Thank you for your tireless support! --The steadily dropping water levels at cultural, biological, and scenic resources found only in now threatened by fluctuating reservoir levels. -- Restored precious features such as Cathedral in the Desert, Register Rock, petroglyphs, and Fort Moqui are going right back under water, only to be uncovered once again later this year. This fluctuation of water levels is unnecessary and destructive to these priceless emerging cultural, historic, and scenic sites in --All "surplus" water of the Mead protect these priceless treasures by storing "surplus" water in instead. Please uphold the established legal protections for priceless sacred and historical sites and emerging endangered species habitats. Please protect  Comments can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to: Gale Norton Secretary Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240 gale_norton@ios.doi.gov Robert Johnson Regional Director Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region Attention: BCOO-1000 P.O. Box 61470 Boulder City, Nevada 89006-1470 FAX: 702-293-8156 strategies@lc.usbr.gov Rick Gold Regional Director Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region Attention: UC-402 125 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84318-1147 FAX: 801-524-3858 strategies@uc.usbr.gov If you have any questions, please contact info@glencanyon.org or call Glen Canyon Institute at 801-363-4450. |
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