More Development in the Powder River Basin?

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A hot topic in the Cowboy State is that a public comment period is now open for coalbed methane gas development in the Fortification Creek area of the Powder River Basin.

The public comment period will go through November 16th.

The Fortification Creek area does encompass just over 100,000 acres and has received some special attention because of its assets.  Those include an elk herd, a 12,000-acre wilderness study area as well as many other cultural and historical points of interest.

According to an article from the Casper Star Tribune, The BLM environmental and socio-economic review includes three options:

  1. No action, in which coalbed methane and other resources would be managed under existing land-use planning decisions.
  2. Coalbed methane would see geographically phased development with prescription-based protections for sensitive soil resources and the resident elk herd.
  3. Coalbed methane would be phased with performance-based standards to protect the resident elk herd and ensure successful reclamation.

More information is available from the Bureau of Land Management and the Coalbed Natural Gas Alliance.

 

Posted by Haylie Shipp

 

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