Protect Utah's Wild Canyos

Protect Utah's Wild Canyons
Utah's canyon country is legendary, and some of the most cherished canyons are Nine Mile, Desolation and Jack Canyon, all part of the West Tavaputs Plateau where the BLM plans to drill more than 800 gas wells. This ill-conceived plan would put in harm's way sensitive wilderness areas and one of the largest rock art sites in the world. This area needs protection, not more drilling.
This is your chance to tell them that you don't want to see wilderness and cultural resources in this area spoiled by natural gas drilling. Comments must be submitted by May 1, 2008 and you can use the sample letter below adding any additional comments as you see fit.
Sample Letter for CampaignSubject: West Tavaputs Plateau Natural Gas Full Field Development Plan DEIS
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the West Tavaputs Plateau natural gas development project. This project will have significant, long-term impacts to the Desolation and Jack Canyon wilderness study areas and wilderness inventory areas. Nearly 200 wells will be drilled in these remarkable wilderness quality areas - lands that the BLM itself has recognized as part of a larger complex of wild lands comprising a large block of roadless BLM public lands. In addition, the sight and sound of the proposed development will be evident from Desolation Canyon and many of its tributaries.
I am also deeply worried that the proposed project will have significant, long-lasting impacts to the unique and important cultural resources in the Nine Mile Canyon region. The company is proposing several non-federal wells in Nine Mile Canyon itself, along with dozens if not hundreds of wells in side canyons and other public lands being considered for designation as a National Historic District. Natural gas development at the levels and places proposed by Bill Barrett Corporation will have serious, if not irreparable, consequences for these fragile resources.
I urge the BLM to fully consider and analyze an alternative that designates the Desolation Canyon and Jack Canyon wilderness inventory areas as "wilderness study areas" under FLPMA, and also consider other ways to protect the wilderness values of these areas. Before authorizing more drilling, the BLM must go back and take a hard look at impacts to the area's amazing cultural resources, such as increased dust and noise, and consider ways to prevent them, under NEPA.
The BLM should adopt the no action alternative. The loss of Wilderness quality landscapes and cultural sites is simply too great to permit this project to go forward as proposed.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Campaign Launched:April 28, 2008
Background Information
The West Tavaputs Plateau is about 30 miles northeast of Price, Utah. The project area is bounded on three sides by natural features – on the west by Sheep Canyon, on the north by Nine Mile Canyon, and on the east by the Green River. Within and surrounding the project area are some of the most wild and culturally important lands that Utah has to offer.
Desolation Canyon is over 200,000 acres, including both a Wilderness Inventory Area and Wilderness Study Area, meaning that the BLM has recognized that is can be designated as wilderness by Congress. The area contains a wide range of topography from river bottoms to mesa tops and an abundant diversity of vegetation and wildlife. The Green River carves its way through Desolation Canyon and is popular with rafters. The area also offers excellent recreational opportunities, providing a true backcountry experience because of its remoteness. To learn more about the area check out the BLM's 1999 wilderness inventory (http://www.access.gpo.gov/blm/utah/pdf/ne127.pdf).
Jack Canyon offers scenic views of vast canyons and the surrounding landscape. It consists primarily of juniper and piñon woodlands and includes Jack Creek, a tributary of the Green River. As with Desolation Canyon, Jack Canyon also offers excellent opportunities for enjoying a sense of solitude and wildness.To learn more about the area check out the BLM's 1999 wilderness inventory (http://www.access.gpo.gov/blm/utah/pdf/ne128.pdf).
Nine Mile Canyon, which is actually over 40 miles long,is recognized by the BLM as having extensive cultural artifacts. There are over 10,000 individual petroglyphs and pictographs made primarily by the Fremont and Ute Indian cultures. The Canyon was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places in 2004. More information about Nine Mile Canyon can be found at http://www.ninemilecanyoncoalition.org/alerts.htm.
BLM and Bill Barrett Corporation's (BBC) contractor have prepared a draft environmental impact statement to analyze the impacts from a massive natural gas development project to wilderness, cultural sites, wildlife, and a number of other important resources. The BLM is considering a BBC proposal to drill over 800 natural gas wells (from 500+ sites) in the West Tavaputs Plateau area.
BBC has proposed at least 171 wells on BLM lands in Desolation Canyon and Jack Canyon WIAs alone, along with 33 wells on BLM lands in the Desolation Canyon and Jack Canyon Wilderness Study Areas. While no federal wells are proposed in Nine Mile Canyon itself, there are gas wells being proposed in sensitive side canyons to Nine Mile. This would cause devastating damage to the petroglyphs as a recent study showed that there was a direct link between truck traffic in the area and the deterioration of the petroglyphs. More information can be found at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/energy/Oil_Gas.html.
Written comments should be sent to:Bureau of Land Management Price Field OfficeAttn: West Tavaputs Plateau Natural Gas Full Field Development Plan DEIS125 South 600 WestPrice, UT 84501
Electronic comments should be emailed to:UT_Pr_Comments@blm.gov
Comments may also be faxed to:(435) 636-3657