New Energy Proposals Target Montana's Rocky Mountain Front
BLM to Evaluate Drilling Permits in the Heart of the Rocky Mountain Front
(04/19/2004) - WASHINGTON – Defenders of Wildlife and other organizations objected strongly today to a new round of natural gas drilling proposals in one of America 's most stunning landscapes and wildlife habitats, Montana ’s Rocky Mountain Front.The federal Bureau of Land Management announced late Thursday that it had initiated the review process required for new drilling permits on public lands in the Blackleaf area, right in the heart of Montana ’s Rocky Mountain Front.
“Once again, the Bush Administration appears willing to sacrifice some of the best wildlife habitat in the United States , all for just a few days worth of energy,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, President of Defenders of Wildlife.
The BLM agrees that very little energy rests beneath the Blackleaf area. On January 28, 2002 , the BLM’s Montana state office released a “Statement of Adverse Energy Impact” for the Blackleaf unit of the Front. The BLM estimated there to be .014-.106 TCF of gas there, the equivalent of two days of natural gas consumption in the United States . Furthermore, Startech, Inc., the project proponent, has estimated only a one-in-four chance of finding economically recoverable gas in the Blackleaf.
Developing these prospects would open important sections of occupied grizzly bear habitat in an existing roadless area and a designated Outstanding Natural Area. Initial exploration efforts would require 100 semi-loads of equipment to be delivered to a high-elevation plateau.
Montana ’s Rocky Mountain Front stretches for over a hundred miles, from Glacier National Park to near Helena , Montana . It is a place of unparalleled natural beauty with massive limestone cliffs that gaze out onto a Great Plains virtually unchanged since the days of Lewis and Clark. The Front is home to such large mammals as wolves, grizzly bears, lynx, eagles, big horn sheep, and others. This long north-south strip of wildlife habitat is so rich that Montana ’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department consider the Front to be in the top one percent of wildlife habitat in the United States .
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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat. With more than 475,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.
Contact(s):
William Lutz, (202) 772-0269Brad DeVries, (202) 772-0237
