Nemont
Well-known member
March 29, 2004
Fund to aid wild habitat proposed
Associated Press
PINEDALE - Harm to habitat and wildlife from oil and gas development in Wyoming could be made up for by setting aside a penny for every million cubic feet of natural gas produced in the state, Gov. Dave Freudenthal said.
"I don't intend to preside over the end of wildlife in this state," he told a Conservation Congress gathering Saturday.
"The moneys could be used to focus on securing more habitat and wildlife resources," he said. "We would treat that fund separately from assistance for towns and counties … I believe community impacts should be funded out of the general revenue of the state."
He estimated the fund could generate up to $10 million per year based on current natural gas production.
"The numbers are modest amounts of dollars … given the magnitude of what's going on here," he said.
About 300 people including ranchers, conservationists and state and federal officials took part in the daylong conference titled "Wells, Wildlife and the Quality of Life." A coalition of 17 individuals, businesses and organizations such as the Upper Green River Coalition took part.
The Upper Green River Valley is home to about 6,000 people and about 1000,000 migrating big game animals. It also holds one of the nation's richest deposits of natural gas reserves, with most of the reserves located on public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM's Pinedale Field Office is revising its land-use plan to determine the extent and scope of energy development that will occur in the basin. The plan could allow up to 10,000 new oil and gas wells over the next 30 years.
Freudenthal acknowledged that the state and many communities like Pinedale and Big Piney are frustrated they don't have more say in oil and gas development decisions involving public land.
But he said that is hard to do when decisions about energy development are ultimately made by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. He said federal multiple-use mandates for public lands in the West often end up as single-use realities on the ground.
"There are more values at play than just the production itself," he said.
He lauded energy producers who have listened to concerns and are trying different approaches such as directional development.
"People want to see oil and gas development, they like to have a job and I'm proud to support the industry," he said. "On the other hand, many people chose to live here because of the habitat and because of the hunting … they want development, but they don't want to lose why they chose to live here."
He called for development that is rational "and an environment that's also great
Nemont
Fund to aid wild habitat proposed
Associated Press
PINEDALE - Harm to habitat and wildlife from oil and gas development in Wyoming could be made up for by setting aside a penny for every million cubic feet of natural gas produced in the state, Gov. Dave Freudenthal said.
"I don't intend to preside over the end of wildlife in this state," he told a Conservation Congress gathering Saturday.
"The moneys could be used to focus on securing more habitat and wildlife resources," he said. "We would treat that fund separately from assistance for towns and counties … I believe community impacts should be funded out of the general revenue of the state."
He estimated the fund could generate up to $10 million per year based on current natural gas production.
"The numbers are modest amounts of dollars … given the magnitude of what's going on here," he said.
About 300 people including ranchers, conservationists and state and federal officials took part in the daylong conference titled "Wells, Wildlife and the Quality of Life." A coalition of 17 individuals, businesses and organizations such as the Upper Green River Coalition took part.
The Upper Green River Valley is home to about 6,000 people and about 1000,000 migrating big game animals. It also holds one of the nation's richest deposits of natural gas reserves, with most of the reserves located on public land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM's Pinedale Field Office is revising its land-use plan to determine the extent and scope of energy development that will occur in the basin. The plan could allow up to 10,000 new oil and gas wells over the next 30 years.
Freudenthal acknowledged that the state and many communities like Pinedale and Big Piney are frustrated they don't have more say in oil and gas development decisions involving public land.
But he said that is hard to do when decisions about energy development are ultimately made by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. He said federal multiple-use mandates for public lands in the West often end up as single-use realities on the ground.
"There are more values at play than just the production itself," he said.
He lauded energy producers who have listened to concerns and are trying different approaches such as directional development.
"People want to see oil and gas development, they like to have a job and I'm proud to support the industry," he said. "On the other hand, many people chose to live here because of the habitat and because of the hunting … they want development, but they don't want to lose why they chose to live here."
He called for development that is rational "and an environment that's also great
Nemont
