In a unprecedented pact, a major energy company and its longtime environmental nemesis have agreed on a plan to drill for natural gas on eastern Utah’s West Tavaputs Plateau near relic-rich Nine Mile Canyon — and they did so without a lawsuit....
Under the final EIS, Barrett and other operators plan to drill 626 wells from 120 pads, shaving the initial proposal by 181 wells and 418 pads. It also reduces surface impacts from 3,656 acres to 1,603 acres, according to the BLM....
SUWA attorney and energy-program director Stephen Bloch said the agreement marks a “hard-fought compromise” negotiated over many months that will protect federal Wilderness Study Areas as well as additional lands with wilderness qualities near picturesque Desolation Canyon.
From the Salt Lake Tribune; it's somewhat old news now, but I just heard about it yesterday. I haven't made it to Nine Mile yet, but I've spent a lot of time floating through Desolation over the years, and worrying just how far the oil and gas boom might penetrate into the river corridor. It's an amazing and under-appreciated landscape, and it has no protection whatsoever beyond Wilderness Study Area status, which doesn't count for much. I hope this compromise works out as well it promises.
That's a great shot of a beautiful area. Looks very wild. Hope it all works out for both sides.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on August 27, 2010 at 9:41 AM
Love the shots you took of the area Jackson! Thanks for sharing this. I am more a wildlife guy than landscape, so I am not familiar with this area, but looks incredible. Glad to see it is at least getting some protection.
Posted by Chris Rice on August 27, 2010 at 9:49 AM
Good. As much as directional drilling is reducing surface disturbance, you still see and smell the separating and flaring equipment.... natty gas...
Posted by Joe Rogers on August 27, 2010 at 11:54 AM
Jackson,
Very nice image and as an aside I went to your website and enjoyed your work....You also have a very interesting bio and I encourage all to read it....sounds like you come from a family background firmly grounded in the American West....Looking forward to more of your posts and viewpoints.
Joe Rogers
Posted by Jack Brauer on August 27, 2010 at 1:07 PM
Any new drilling in wild areas is bad news to me, but I suppose less is better than more. Great shot by the way.
Great shot of Deso, Jack. That's one stretch of river I've never kayaked, mostly because of the time committment and the lack of quality whitewater, but it sure delivers in terms of wilderness aesthetics.
Thanks all! Chris and Jack, I agree that no drilling would be ideal, but this is a major improvement over some of what we were looking at in recent years. I also like to see some give and take on these issues, rather than just uncompromising conservation when one party's in power followed by uncompromising extraction when the other guys are on top. Industry's losses are always temporary setbacks, wilderness' losses may be forever, so I'd say it's worth building some long-term compromises when we can. Considering how heavily Utah is under siege lately from oil and gas and ATVs, I'd still say this is good news.
Joe, very kind words, I do appreciate it!
Don, I always tell people who ask that it's for real desert rats only. But if desolation is what you want, it's a great place to go. It really is a great easy trip at high water, and the new rapid at Cowswim was pretty thumpin' this year, almost like a Grand Canyon rapid.
Discussion
7 repliesFrom the Salt Lake Tribune; it's somewhat old news now, but I just heard about it yesterday. I haven't made it to Nine Mile yet, but I've spent a lot of time floating through Desolation over the years, and worrying just how far the oil and gas boom might penetrate into the river corridor. It's an amazing and under-appreciated landscape, and it has no protection whatsoever beyond Wilderness Study Area status, which doesn't count for much. I hope this compromise works out as well it promises.
Some more shots from Desolation here and here.
Very nice image and as an aside I went to your website and enjoyed your work....You also have a very interesting bio and I encourage all to read it....sounds like you come from a family background firmly grounded in the American West....Looking forward to more of your posts and viewpoints.
Joe Rogers
Joe, very kind words, I do appreciate it!
Don, I always tell people who ask that it's for real desert rats only. But if desolation is what you want, it's a great place to go. It really is a great easy trip at high water, and the new rapid at Cowswim was pretty thumpin' this year, almost like a Grand Canyon rapid.