February 18, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erik Molvar, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, (307) 742-7978

Laramie — Conservation Groups led by Biodiversity Conservation Alliance today received word that they had won their appeal of the Porcupine Tuit coalbed methane project. This was the first of several coalbed methane projects slated for the Thunder Basin National Grassland, and would have approved 26 wells in the Porcupine Creek and Little Thunder Creek drainages.

The appeal pointed to deficiencies in the Forest Service’s environmental analysis, including the agency’s failure to consider the cumulative affects of this and other coalbed methane projects on air and water quality, as well as the agency’s failure to analyze alternatives which would require directional drilling and the reinjection of wastewater to reduce environmental impacts.

"Clearly, the Forest Service has failed its mandate to minimize the environmental impacts of this project," said Erik Molvar of Biodiversity Conservation Alliance. "In the future, we expect that the agency will put more effort into making drilling projects like this one less environmentally harmful."