Federal officials are again saying exploratory drilling on Baca National Wildlife Refuge won’t cause significant impacts, but this time they’re including more details on restrictions they want to impose.
In a draft environmental assessment Friday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said plans for Lexam Explorations (USA) Inc. to drill two exploratory oil or gas wells on the refuge in southern Colorado won’t unreasonably degrade the land.
In its new draft assessment, the Fish and Wildlife Service said Lexam’s activities would take less than 180 days and that drilling restrictions would protect the refuge. Lexam has agreed not to start building a second well pad until analyzing results of the first, said Michael Blenden of the Fish and Wildlife Service.
