GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—In a settlement with environmental groups, the Bureau of Land Management has agreed to take another look at potential air pollution associated with more than 1,300 oil and gas wells proposed in the Garfield County area.
The Daily Sentinel reports ( ) conservation groups said Monday that no new drilling permits for 34 contested projects will be approved until the review is complete. The groups say the BLM also will establish a public online tracking system for federal drilling permits in its Colorado River Valley field office.
According to settlement documents, the BLM has agreed to pay $98,000 to cover the groups’ attorneys’ fees and costs.
The agreement settles a lawsuit filed by groups who contended the BLM hadn’t fully considered environmental effects in approving the wells.
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Information from: The Daily Sentinel,
