In accordance with 43 C.F.R § 3120.1-3, Clark, Wyoming area residents, Clark Resource Council and our members, and the organizations signed on below, protest the sale of oil and gas lease sale parcel WY-1508-72 (formerly WY-1508-237) included in the August 2015 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Notice. We submitted comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for this lease sale on February 23, 2015 and these are incorporated by reference.
PROTESTING PARTIES
Clark, Wyoming residents have been negatively impacted by oil and gas development since 1999. In the Line Creek drainage and Line Creek Wilderness Subdivision, on-going groundwater contamination, toxic emissions from production equipment, and serious impacts to residents’ health and well being continue. Clark area residents have also experienced negative impacts from the oil and gas development. Clark Resource Council, representing residents and landowners, was founded and affiliated with Powder River Basin Resource Council in 2004, as a result of the exploration and development in the Line Creek drainage, along with a 45 square mile 3-D siesmic exploration that threatened the greater Clark community along the Beartooth Front.
STATEMENT OF INTEREST
The Sale Notice for Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sales describes the manner in which protests will be considered. At page ix, the Sale Notice requires that “a protest must state the interest of the protesting party in the matter.” We have an interest in preventing the adverse effects leasing parcel WY-1508-072 would have on: 1) quality of life for residents in the Line Creek Wilderness Subdivision and greater Clark area along the Absaroka-Beartooth Front, including residents in Montana and Wyoming; 2) property values in the Line Creek Wilderness Subdivision and greater Clark area along the Absaroka-Beartooth Front, including properties in Montana and Wyoming; 3) quality of groundwater and air quality; 4) the natural environment including important wildlife habitat; and 5) human health. In addition, notification to private surface owners was not given according to the BLM’s own rules in the handbook on competitive leases, landowner notification.
ADVERSE EFECTS OF PROPOSED LEASING PARCEL WY-1508-072
As stated above, there are six reasons why BLM should not offer parcel WY-1508-072 for oil and gas lease sale.
- Quality of life for area residents
- Protection of property values in the area
- Protection of natural resources, including air and water
- Protection of the natural environment and wildlife habitat
- Protection of human health
- Inadequate landowner notification
We appreciate the BLM’s consideration of this protest. We ask that parcel WY-1508-072 not be offered at the August oil and gas lease sale.
