Nine Mile coalition calls for gas development EIS

By Sun Advocate

At a March 26 meeting, the board of the Nine Mile coalition passed a motion calling on the United States Bureau of Land Management to initiate a comprehensive environmental impact study of all aspects of gas development planned and expected in the vicinity of the canyon.
During the meeting at College of Eastern Utah, the coalition members indicated that the environmental impact study should occur before BLM approval of additional gas development is granted in the Nine Mile Canyon area.
The volunteer board members discussed the known gas development activity in leading up to the EIS motion.
The Bill Barrett Corporation’s seven well exploration program environmental assessment and the finding of no significant impact was withdrawn in June 2003, pointed out the coalition.
In March, the BBC Stone Cabin seismic survey assessment and a finding of no significant impact were announced along with the BLM’s acknow-ledgement of a possible lawsuit to challenge the results.
Next month, the coalition indicated it is expected that the Bill Barrett Corporation’s Tavaputs drilling program environmental assessment will be released for a 30-day comment period, according to the coalition.
In April, it is expected that the Price BLM field office will release the federal agency’s resource management draft plan environmental impact study, with a public comment period.
According to the coalition, not one of the documents provide any information on cumulative impacts to Nine Mile Canyon if 100, 1,000 or 10,000 gas wells are eventually drilled and gas moved to market
The board members want adequate information to determine possible impacts.
An environmental impact study would ensure adequate information and feature scoping meetings for public input.
Two new members will join the coalition’s board of directors. Chanel Atwood is from Wellington and works for a Castle Country Regional Information Center. Jerry Spangler is from Salt Lake City and is an archeologist and journalist.
The coalition will sponsor the Nine Mile Canyon cleanup day on May 22.
For information, residents may call Steve Hansen at 801-891-4540.