Comment on the Blackleaf Drilling Proposal

Startech Energy, a Canadian company, has proposed drilling three wells in the Blackleaf Area of the Rocky Mountain Front in Blindhorse Canyon, a Bureau of Land Management Outstanding Natural Area, and occupied grizzly bear habitat. In response, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced its intent to conduct an Environmental Impact Analysis (EIS) to determine the impacts that Startech's three wells, five other proposed wells, and a gas processing plant would have on wildlife, fish, air and water quality, and the local economy. The energy development proposed by Startech, and additional drilling that the BLM will analyze, will create tremendous negative impacts to the Front's air and water quality, wildlife and wildlife habitat, and to the local economy.The BLM is currently accepting comments on the proposed drilling and will be holding open house forums around the state of Montana.

What you can do

1. Attend a BLM open house forum to tell them why you want the Front protected and what impacts should be analyzed in the Blackleaf EIS. Meetings will be held at the following dates and locations:

May 3 (6-9 pm), Choteau: High School Auditorium
May 4 (6-9 pm), Great Falls: Holiday Inn Convention Center
May 5 (6-9 pm), Missoula: University Center, south Ballroom
May 17 (6-9 pm), Helena: Carroll College Campus Center, Sienna room
May 20 (6-9 pm), Browning: Blackfeet Community College Commons

2. Submit written "scoping" comments to the BLM by JUNE 1st, 2004.

The scoping process and the public meetings are a chance to tell the BLM what issues must be addressed in the environmental analysis and a time for you to ask to be added to the mailing list for any Front drilling news or comment periods.

Written, personalized comments are by far the best. So we need you to write a letter today. Here are some important points you might want to raise in your comments or click here for a sample letter:

A Real No Action Alternative: Demand that the EIS include a viable no-action alternative, one that evaluates and quantifies the costs for the government to trade or buyout all of the leases in the Blackleaf unit.

Air Quality: Montana’s largest Wilderness Area, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, is immediately adjacent to the Front and has been designated a Class I airshed. Ask that the BLM detail air quality impacts from particulates from construction, pollution from vehicles and generators, hydrogen sulfide releases in the natural gas, and damage to agriculture from particulates and pollution.

Sense of Place: Drilling activity undermines the unique sense of place and wilderness values and adversely impacts the viewshed for a larger area. Ask that the BLM assess these values. The Forest Service’s 1997 leasing EIS found that "sense of place" was an important value for the Front that would be impacted by drilling and could not be mitigated. This BLM EIS should also analyze what drilling would mean to this value.

Wildlife: Ask that the EIS detail the habitat fragmentation that would result from road and well pad construction and what the impacts will be to threatened and endangered species. Remember that all of the proposed drilling sites are in occupied grizzly bear habitat.

Cumulative Effects: This initial exploration proposal could easily lead to major "full field development." So the EIS needs to seriously analyze the cumulative impacts of full field development including: noise and lights from drilling and production, associated impacts of pipelines and a sweetening plant, fragmentation and impacts that extend beyond the footprint of proposed roads and drill pads.

Economic Impacts: The EIS needs to fully disclose the economic impacts from the loss of hunting and fishing opportunities, diminished wildlife viewing and tourist activities, and reduced outfitting business. Furthermore, the EIS should include a true cost-benefit accounting of what the proposed drilling would mean to the local county’s budget and to a larger area, like Great Falls, since their quality of life and economy is connected to the recreation and other values of the Front.

Comments are due by June 1, 2004

Please send comments to:

Blackleaf Project EIS Team Lead,
Bureau of Land Management, Lewistown Field Office
P.O. Box 1160
Lewistown, MT 59457.

Or email your letter to: mt_blackleaf_eis@blm.gov

It is important that you also send a copy of your comments to Montana’s Senators and Representative. Since Congress will ultimately need to take action to protect the Front, it is important that you contact Montana’s delegation. Copy your comments to :

Max Baucus: 511 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-2602 or: max@baucus.senate.gov

Conrad Burns: 187 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-2603 or: conrad_burns@burns.senate.gov

Denny Rehburg: 516 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 or denny.rehberg@mail.house.gov