E-P-A Triggers a “Change in the Air” for Western Drilling Plans
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is blocking a plan to drill a natural gas project in Colorado, citing a threat to air quality. The agency has refused to approve the project, and Bruce Pendery, with the Wyoming Outdoor Council, says the move should prompt the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to gather additional information on plans to add another 8,000 gas wells in the Pinedale area.
"What are the implications of those other projects? Will the haze in our state get worse? Will ozone levels increase? And, will acid rain become worse?"
Pendery says Pinedale already has seen levels of ozone over the EPA safe limits. He believes adding wells would lead to even more ozone pollution, although it's something the BLM doesn’t mention in its' drilling proposals.
"Air quality in the Upper Green is one of the biggest concerns local residents have expressed to the BLM, and they want more information about the impact of additional gas wells. There should be a presentation for everyone’s understanding and illumination, so that everyone can proceed in a more informed way."
The EPA refused to endorse an environmental impact statement for the Little Snake Field Office in Colorado, requiring a more in-depth look into air pollution there.
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