On December 3, 2015,
the U.S Forest Service issued a final
record of decision amending the 2002 White River National
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and modifying federal oil and gas
leasing availability on lands administered by the National Forest.
The White River
National Forest covers 2.3 millions of acres and the Forest Service made the
decision to close approximately 1.3 millions of acres of federal lands for oil
and gas leasing. In taking this decision, the U.S. Forest Service took account
of the fact that most of the acreage has “little or no potential for oil and
gas production” due to geological conditions. It also declared that “[p]art of
the recreational setting that is valued is the quiet and the remoteness from
the sights and sounds of human development, clean air, and clear night skies.
[The public] felt that these values would be compromised if leased and
subsequently developed by additional oil and gas related activities.”
The U.S. Forest Service
however decided that 194,100 acres will be administratively available for
leasing which are considered as having “high oil and gas potential.”
Click here
if you would like more information on the Forest Final Oil and Gas Leasing
Environmental Impact Assessment and Record of decision.
Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
12/08/2015
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