US green groups sue to halt Utah canyon drilling
Date: 07-Dec-01
Country: USA
The lawsuit accused the Interior Department of trying to speed up energy leasing on western lands without taking time for federally required environmental studies as a way to promote the president's energy plan.
The remote area of southern Utah at stake in the lawsuit is terrain often featured in Western movies, with sheer red rock cliffs, steep canyons and sweeping vistas. The region is also home to bighorn sheep, antelope, peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and the endangered San Rafael cactus.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance alleged in the lawsuit that the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management failed to conduct an environmental review before issuing a dozen Utah leases in September for oil and gas exploration.
"There are places where drilling is appropriate, and it's already going on," said Johanna Wald, an attorney with the NRDC. "But it is unnecessary and inappropriate to drill in these environmentally sensitive areas. We cannot drill our way to energy independence."
A spokesman for the Interior Department was not immediately available for comment.
In September, the Bureau of Land Management issued 12 leases for oil and gas exploration in southern Utah. The leases are located in the Lockhart Basin, Butler Wash, Montezuma Canyon and Mussentuchit.
The 10-year leases were awarded to Lowe Partners of Midland, Texas, Yates Petroleum Corp of Artesia, New Mexico, and an independent agent, according to the green groups.
The lawsuit also accused the government of failing to consult with tribes, state archeologists and members of the public about the impact of energy leasing on cultural artifacts, like pottery shards and other remnants of ancient Indian tribes such as the Anasazi.
The NRDC has sought to get congressional protection for southern Utah's Redrock Canyon. A bill pending in the House and Senate would designate some 9.1 million acres of public lands in Utah as official wilderness.