The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that would allow year-round drilling for energy resources on the Pinedale Anticline Project Area (PAPA) in Wyoming, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

The SEIS is supplemental to a 2000 plan that addressed expected drilling on the area. PAPA is located southeast of the city of Pinedale and, according to BLM, contains an estimated 21 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The number of wells on public lands in the 12,278-acre area is expected to total about 4,399. Also, according to BLM, about 450 wells already have been drilled.

In the past, if a company desired to drill on public lands from November 15 to April 30?a critical time of the year for mule deer and pronghorn?federal regulations required a request for a waiver from BLM. Waivers often were granted, but year-round drilling on big game ranges has not been a common practice.

The SEIS outlines alternatives that would permanently allow for year-around drilling in certain areas and under specified conditions. The preferred alternative not only specifies certain areas where it could occur, but also where it would not occur. A core area defined by BLM ostensibly would control spatial disturbance of wells over time, maximizing development in some areas and minimizing it in other areas, especially in portions of big game crucial winter ranges.

Energy companies claim the seasonal restrictions on their access to drill sites on public land are not necessary and unduly limit the companies' ability to extract the energy resources. They further argue that concentrating drilling in the core area will leave more areas open and undisturbed for wildlife.

This prospect of year-round drilling on the PAPA has raised the ire of several environmental and conservation organizations. They contend that it is likely to further stress area big game animals already vulnerable to harsh weather conditions and the habitat limitations of existing wells and service roads. To make matters worse, those opposed to year-round drilling cite the region's protracted drought and poor forage conditions, which would only be exacerbated if the proposal is approved. Furthermore, they observe, BLM acknowledges in the SEIS that the proposals outlined in the document likely would have an adverse effect on wildlife.

To review the SEIS see: www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/pfodocs/anticline/seis/index.htm. Comments can be submitted electronically at WYMail_PAPA_YRA@blm.gov. Include "Pinedale Anticline SEIS" in the subject line. BLM is accepting comments on the SEIS until February 12, 2007. (lhc)