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Stop Gas Drilling in Missouri Breaks Monument
The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in central Montana has been dubbed “some of the wildest country on all the Great Plains.” Yet this is precisely where the Bureau of Land Management proposes development of a dozen gas wells that will disrupt over 10,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat, cultural and historic sites, and rugged wildness.
Take quick action and tell the BLM their proposal is unacceptable. Use our letter below, or edit it to reflect your own thoughts and feelings on this subject.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: No Gas Development in UMRB National Monument
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I write in opposition to the proposed gas development in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Such development is incompatible with the values the Monument was created to protect: its biological, historical and cultural resources.
If gas development is permitted on leases that predate the Monument's proclamation, it must occur only in a careful manner that will protect the Monument, its wildlife and its wild landscape.
The approval of gas development must be seen as just the first in a long, linked list of cumulative impacts that include new, fragmenting roads, heavy equipment, drill pads, off-road vehicles, and others.
Specifically, I urge that you require any well sites you do approve to be located outside of bighorn sheep habitat, elk calving grounds, potential and occupied sage grouse leks and all other critical wildlife habitat. Wells should also be prohibited in any of the existing or proposed wilderness study areas.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
November 30, 2004
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The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument may be the single remaining place along their route that Lewis and Clark would still recognize today.
The central Montana Monument, proclaimed in January 2001, remains rich in the sweep of its scenery, its history and its wildlife. Its 377,000 acres embrace river bottoms and upland breaks. They afford habitat to 230 species of birds and 60 of mammals, among them deer, elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep.
Plenty of Gashes But Little Gas
Since the 1950s, some 150 natural gas wells have been drilled on land now within the Monument's boundaries. There is no oil in the Monument and so far, very little natural gas has been extracted. But the activity has left a network of scars from never-restored roads and drilling sites.
Now the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking comment on permits to drill another 12 leases in the Monument's wildest region. Although the Monument proclamation grandfathered in existing valid leases, a Montana judge recently determined that at least three of the leases were issued without sufficient public involvement and analysis. The judge also said that the BLM failed to consult with tribal governments to locate cultural and historic sites and that the agency didn't look for endangered species that development might threaten.
The judge has yet to determine whether the leases should be reissued or voided. If the leases are reissued, the proclamation allows them to be developed in a way that protects the Monument's resources. If the leases are voided, they can never be reissued or developed. Unfortunately, the agency is proceeding as though all the leases will be reissued and developed.
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