Forest Service plans to lighten oil regs

The oil and gas industry may be in for a sizeable gift this holiday season. The U.S. Forest Service is currently considering new regulations which would exempt certain oil and gas development from environmental review. If adopted, the new exclusion promises to impact the Four Corners region.

Under the proposal, an energy development of four wells or less would not get environmental review. The “categorical exclusion” would also exempt road building of 1 mile or less and pipelines totaling less than 3 miles. According to the Forest Service, the revision would save the agency time, effort and money. The lightened regulations would apply only to energy development where there are no “extraordinary circumstances,” according to the agency. Such circumstances include threatened and endangered species, critical habitat, wilderness areas, inventoried roadless areas, wetlands or archeological sites.

“Our forest managers have reviewed similar oil and gas projects over the last five years and have learned that projects of this scale do not carry significant environmental effects to human health or the environment,” said Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth. “This proposal is a result of that review as well as the agency’s commitment to energy conservation in our national forest and grasslands.”

Conservationists take a different view of the proposed change. Mark Pearson, executive director of Durango’s San Juan Citizens Alliance, argued that the “categorical exclusion” is just the latest move in a Bush energy policy that caters to big industry.

“It’s just another piece of the Bush energy policy, giving a gift to the struggling oil and gas companies at the expense of the environment,” he said. “When you only make $35 billion in three months, you can imagine why you want to waive burdensome regulations like having to obey environmental laws.”

On a serious note, Pearson added that environmental review of oil and gas exploration is already excessively light, saying, “Given the fact that there’s such lax enforcement of environmental standards right now, totally removing the industry from evaluation of future wells is totally absurd.”

Should the exclusion be adopted, it is sure to have local impacts. Pearson noted that northern New Mexico will be hard hit by unchecked development. “It’s got an immediate effect in Farmington just across state lines on BLM lands and in the Carson National Forest,” he said. “Down there, the BLM is receiving literally dozens of drilling applications per month. This would allow them to avoid doing any further National Environmental Policy Act compliance.”

Areas like the HD Mountains east of Bayfield and the Canyons of the Ancients west of Cortez could also be opened up to unregulated drilling, according to Pearson.

“BP has been one of the vociferous proponents of not having to comply with environmental laws when it comes to drilling wells,” he said. “I’m sure they will claim they don’t have to do environmental review in Saul’s Creek in the HD Mountains. It could also apply to drilling in the Canyons of the Ancients, because there’s an existing field.”

The proposal is currently open to a 60-day comment period. Members of the public can send their comments to: Oil and Gas CatEx Proposed Directive, c/o Content Analysis Group, P.O. Box 2000, Bountiful, UT 84011-2000; by fax to (801) 397-2601; or by e-mail, ogcatex@contentanalysisgroup.com.

Public transportation got a big boost in Durango recently. Earlier this month, the City of Durango received the first of several grants to build a transit center and parking garage in the downtown area. The Department of Transportation awarded Durango a grant in the amount of $1.38 million to begin the project.

“This is great news for Durango,” said Michelle Reott, Transit Advisory Board member. “These funds can help advance the city’s goals for its downtown transportation and parking needs.”

The award supplies 25 percent of Durango’s overall funding request of $5.5 million. The funds will be used to build a transit center and an additional 100 to 200 parking spaces at the Durango Car Park in order to provide better parking for the Central Business District. A portion of the grant will be used to finalize the design of the project. When complete, the transit center will act as a hub for Durango Transit, Ignacio Road Runner and any other bus lines that may come into operation in the near future. The facility is also expected to include passenger amenities like bicycle lockers, restrooms, information counters, passenger waiting space and city transit offices.

Environmental Center names director

Fort Lewis College has found a replacement for Michael Rendon. This week, the FLC Environmental Center announced that Marcus Renner will be the center’s new coordinator and will take over for Rendon at the start of the spring 2006 semester. Rendon is stepping down to pursue travel and other professional opportunities.

Renner has worked in a variety of capacities, including as an instructor at the Brown Leadership Institute at Brown University, an adjunct faculty, education and outreach coordinator at the Urban and Environmental Policy Department of Occidental College, a science writer for Earth Watch Radio and the Sea Grant Institute, a resource coordinator for the Swearer Center for Public Service; as well as many other positions.

Renner was also the ArroyoFest Project Manager at Occidental College from fall 2001 to the summer of 2003, where he organized an event that brought together more than 5,000 residents of the Arroyo Seco watershed to walk and bike on the oldest freeway in California.

Rendon said that he is pleased with the decision and thinks the Environmental Center is in capable hands. “I think the search committee made an excellent selection of Marcus Renner,” he said. “He not only has the experience, but the passion and knowledge to take the EC to the next level.”

Renner starts work Jan. 3.

Steamworks Brewing Co. has established the Mike Eberle Memorial Fund. Eberle, director of brewing operations for Steamworks, was tragically killed on Dec. 16 in a single-car, roll-over accident on Florida Road.

“We want to help the family with the expenses,” said Kris Oyler, Steamworks CEO and longtime friend of Eberle. “Mike was well loved in both Bayfield and Durango, and we hope we can do our best to help his wife, Casey, through this very heart-breaking time. We are very saddened at his passing.”

A memorial service was held Dec. 21 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and followed by a remembrance at Steamworks Durango. A quiet but witty individual, Eberle was instrumental in Steamworks Brewing Co.’s growth, overseeing the entire development of the new brewery in Bayfield. Eberle was also responsible for creating many of Steamworks’ award-winning craft beers.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can make checks payable to “Mike Eberle Memorial Fund” and deposit them at any First National Bank location.

– compiled by Will Sands