The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
County on pause until meetings with Gunnison Energy next week
By Cayla Vidmar
Gunnison Energy is proposing a 3D seismic project on 28,000 acres of public lands north of Paonia, in Delta and Gunnison counties for the purpose of oil and gas exploration. Gunnison County Commissioners held a brief discussion on the project at Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting, and will submit formal comments prior to the October 26 deadline after a meeting with Gunnison Energy.
High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) has drafted comments stating their discomfort about the project, including the intensity of the project, which includes using two to five pounds of dynamite in shot holes at a depth of 20 to 60 feet; impacts on elk and mule deer winter ranges and the hunting season; and the United States Forest Service’s choice not to evaluate the project with an Environmental Assessment.
“This matter may wind up in front of you as a decision maker,” said David Baumgarten, Gunnison County attorney. He said his staff believed this project would require an oil and gas permit through the county. Baumgarten did not wish to discuss the project at length until after meeting with Gunnison Energy on Tuesday, October 23, and discussing the matter with Delta County.
Matt Reed, HCCA public lands director, drafted a multi-page document of comments on behalf of HCCA regarding the project. The document critiques “a project of significant scope, intensity, and impact, most notably from the detonation of hundreds of pounds of dynamite in shot holes scattered across this 28,000-acre landscape.”
The comments point to county oil and gas regulations, which state that oil and gas operations will not cause significant degradation of wildlife or sensitive wildlife habitat, or degradation in the quality or quantity of recreational activities like hunting. The project would commence during hunting season at the end of October “in one of the most productive [hunting] units in the state,” making the project in direct contradiction to the county regulations, according to the HCCA document.
The document also discusses the need for an Environmental Assessment, rather than a Categorical Exclusion, which the United States Forest Service (USFS) has opted to use. HCCA believes this approach is inappropriate for a project of this scale, given the presence of federally listed threatened or endangered species (including lynx and cutthroat trout); sensitive and vital water infrastructure; presence of roadless areas; and archaeological sites or historic sites, all of which HCCA argues are within the project area.
In response to questions regarding the issues brought up in the HCCA comments, the USFS writes, “Issues are being identified internally, as well as from comments from cooperators and the public. Identification of issues will assist in refining the proposal and identifying conditions of approval, should the project be approved.”
Baumgarten noted that official comments from the county would be drafted after conversations with Gunnison Energy and Delta County next week.
The USFS is taking comments on the project through October 26, and may be submitted at goo.gl/uu9GCH (this URL is case-sensitive).
