Protecting water only slows extraction
Saturday, March 18, 2006 2:06 AM MST
Editor:
Coal-bed methane (CBM) development is having a dramatic effect on Wyoming's water and its ranches. It is sad that the Wyoming congressional delegation did not recognize this in its recent letter to the Montana Board of Environmental Review. This water problem calls for well-thought-out solutions. CBM development can and will occur, but there is a need to find a better balance point -- a balance that will protect Wyoming's water and its working ranches.
The letter from Wyoming's congressional delegation said that Montana's efforts to protect its water were not based on science, were probably illegal, that they jeopardized cooperative efforts to manage CBM development, and, most importantly, threatened the nation's energy supply. These are not accurate assertions.
Is the CBM industry going to shut down if Montana's regulations go into effect? Unlikely. Natural gas prices have more than doubled over the last four years. Operators are making a good profit. Regulations on water disposal may change the amount of that profit, but not enough to drive anyone out of the business.
As far as the legal issues, the Clean Water Act requires upstream states to protect the water quality of downstream states. Montana is acting well within its legal rights when it demands certain water standards for the Tongue and Powder rivers as they flow across the state lines.
Are these proposed standards based on good science? Yes, even the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is recognizing the problems with CBM-contaminated water on soils and vegetation.
It is understandable that Montana might want to protect its farmers and ranchers to make sure that they have good water to use for their crops and their cattle. To do that, they are demanding that the water flowing into their state from Wyoming be clean. That seems fair.
Wyoming must come to terms with the fact that we have to do more with CBM water than dump it into rivers and hope the problem gets washed away. Managing this water responsibly is our duty as the stewards of this great state. Thanks, Montana, for the wake-up call.
MOLLY ABSOLON, Lander
Communications director, Wyoming Outdoor Council |
