The U.S. Forest Service announced today that a controversial 136-well natural gas development in the Wyoming Range cannot proceed until the agency completes a more careful analysis.
This decision comes after the Bridger-Teton National Forest received a record number of public comments — nearly 60,000 — on the proposed drilling plan.
The full-field development, proposed by Houston-based Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP), is highly contentious — and largely unpopular with locals and state wildlife officials — because it would occupy one of the most important wildlife crossroads in the nation, the Upper Hoback Basin.
“It is encouraging to see that the Forest Service listened to the valid comments and serious concerns submitted by Wyoming citizens, state agencies and the governor,” said Dan Smitherman, spokesman for Citizens for the Wyoming Range. “There were just too many new factors, too many problems and too many flaws with the project that the Forest Service really had no option except to go back to the drawing board and give it a more critical look.”
This decision comes after the Bridger-Teton National Forest received a record number of public comments — nearly 60,000 — on the proposed drilling plan.
The full-field development, proposed by Houston-based Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP), is highly contentious — and largely unpopular with locals and state wildlife officials — because it would occupy one of the most important wildlife crossroads in the nation, the Upper Hoback Basin.
“It is encouraging to see that the Forest Service listened to the valid comments and serious concerns submitted by Wyoming citizens, state agencies and the governor,” said Dan Smitherman, spokesman for Citizens for the Wyoming Range. “There were just too many new factors, too many problems and too many flaws with the project that the Forest Service really had no option except to go back to the drawing board and give it a more critical look.”
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