COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Over the objections of environmental groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed allowing a Canadian company’s request to drill two test wells for natural gas within two miles of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
The proposal announced Friday to allow the test wells in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge drew protests from environmental groups concerned how drilling would affect wildlife, air and water quality and on the nearby national park.
“We feel it’s an utterly inappropriate area to have gas and oil drilling, on many accounts,” said Ceal Smith, coordinator of the San Luis Valley Water Protection Coalition, formed to oppose the drilling.
Federal officials told The Gazette their hands are tied because oil companies have mineral rights on the land.
The proposal that was announced Friday came in an environmental assessment of the proposed drilling. The assessment is now open to public comments, which the Fish and Wildlife Service will consider before taking further steps.
The refuge was created in 2004 “to restore, enhance and maintain wetlands, upland, riparian and other habitats for wildlife, plants and fish species that are native to the San Luis Valley.”
Toronto-based Lexam Energy Exploration and ConocoPhillips retained the ownership of mineral rights in the area, even after it was made a refuge.
“We’re darn lucky we ended up with the surface estate at all,” said Mike Blenden, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s manager of the refuge.
“From a wildlife-management standpoint, I would rather there not be any drilling or any exploration at all, but that’s not reality,” Blenden said. His agency will require some conditions be imposed on any drilling to reduce the impact.
Park Superintendent Art Hutchinson said he had concerns about the drilling.
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