Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 49
Location: Idaho
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I know many of you live in the west and a few of you live in New Mexico.
If you live or hunt in anywhere in the west, you have probably seen the impacts of irresponsible drilling. Right now, the Senate is considering the energy bill and as hunters, we should be pushing for two additions.
As westerners, we realize the importance of domestic oil and gas production. What we need is a common sense approach that will allow us to drill on public lands, while still leaving them intact for our children.
Currently, when constructing new well pads on public lands, oil and gas companies are exempt from storm water regulations. These are the rules that every other business including farms, ranches, construction companies and grocery stores are required to follow in order to keep our lands clean and our water safe.
Despite them fact that oil and gas companies are bringing in record profits and crude is at an all time high, D.C. oil lobbyists are pushing the senate to leave our precious water resources unprotected.
Following the clean water act is not expensive or complicated. In fact, oil companies were only exempted from storm water provisions in 2005.
Another big concern for western hunters is categorical exclusions. Because of a loophole in federal energy policy, oil and gas companies can substantially expand drilling fields without getting any input from hunters or state fish and game departments.
Categorical exclusions allow lessees to add large numbers of wells without consulting state game and fish departments or receiving any public input.
We need our western Senators to stand up for the rights of hunters and anglers and close the categorical exemption loophole and demand that oil and gas companies follow the storm water provison in the clean water act.
If you are a hunter or angler who uses public lands, please call your senator and tell them to protect our hunting and angling resources. |
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