The following call to action is from the group Citizens Protecting the Wyoming Range http://www.wyomingrange.org/take_action/index.php

The proposal: Plains Exploration and Production Company (”Plains”), a Houston-based company with no experience drilling on national forest land, is seeking permission to drill 136 wells from 17 well pads and construct or upgrade 29 miles of roads.

Where: The Hoback Basin is in the northern reaches of the Wyoming Range, 7 miles south of Bondurant. The project would occur entirely on the Bridger-Teton NF in one of its largest roadless areas. This remote refuge provides crucial habitat for sensitive species like lynx, and summer range, birthing areas and migration corridors for big game animals.

Timeline: Development could begin as early as spring of 2009. Scoping comments are due Feb. 7, 2008.

The first round of public meetings on the new expanded Plains Exploration and Production Company (”Plains”) proposal is coming up.
January 28 in Jackson at the Virginian
January 29 at the Library in Pinedale
Hours 4-8

Officially the Forest Service considers the official comments period on the Scope of Work for the new Draft Environmental Impact Statement to commence at 6PM at these meetings. Please go and get on the record. Let them know in no uncertain terms that it was bad enough with 3 wells proposed but the additional 130 means air, water, wildlife and recreational impacts that are by any measure unacceptable. Industrialization of the Hoback Basin is not what people want. Make sure the FS knows that we want “Lease retirement’ and “no approval” to be among the alternatives they evaluate. Tell them that this is simply the wrong place to drill. Tell Plains we do not appreciate their comments that they will not fold up their tent and go home. Tell them that we want the company to retire the leases. Conservation groups will be there with handouts that can help you focus your comments.

A good turn out is very important. Encourage, and bring with you as many people as you can.

Overall, this is the last push. Industry will generally try to get everything they can before the National elections when a different administration will not likely be as sympathetic to the oil and gas companies.

The meeting is on January 28 from 4-6 pm at the Virginian.

If people can’t attend, they can submit comments to the Forest Service by February 7, 2008 via email at
comments-intermtn-bridger-teton@fs.fed.us

or in writing to Greg Clark, District Ranger, Big Piney Ranger District, Box 218, Big Piney, WY 83113.

Learn more about the proposal here.