Biodiversity Conservation Alliance

RAISE YOUR VOICE TO PROTECT RED DESERT FROM DRILLING PROJECT

A drilling proposal spanning over a million acres and encompassing extensive pristine habitat and one of Wyoming's largest sage grouse breeding concentration areas is under threat from a proposal to authorize 8,950 new gas wells. The proposal combines two areas, the Creston Blue-Gap, and Continental-Divide Wamsutter. Now called "Continental Divide-Creston," the project is now open for initial "scoping" comments. While Creston Blue-Gap contains pristine habitat, the Continental Divide-Wamsutter Field is already heavily fragmented and industrialized. British Petroleum, the principal proponent of the newly combined project, has been drilling directionally in this area, demonstrating that it is possible.

If you care about the Red Desert, please demand the BLM:

Require additional wells to be drilled directionally from existing wellpads to minimize additional impact to lands and wildlife;
Allow a maximum well density of one well per square mile;
Exclude sensitive landscapes like the Red Lake Dunes citizens' proposed wilderness and Chain Lakes wetlands from the project; and
Keep all roads and well locations away from prairie dog colonies, at least 3 miles from sage grouse breeding sites, and at least 1 mile from raptor nest sites.

You can voice your concerns at an open house on the Continental-Creston Project in downtown Rawlins from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Jeffrey Center this Thursday, April 6th. Written comments should be sent by May 5th to Eldon Allison, Rawlins BLM, P.O. Box 2407, Rawlins, WY 82301, or via e-mail to Continental_Divide_Creston_WYMail@blm.gov.

JOIN US FOR EARTH DAY IN LARAMIE

The University of Wyoming is committed to making the Earth Day Celebration, Friday, April 21st, the biggest Earth Day ever, with at least 19 exhibitors for the Friday, April 21st event on Prexy's Pasture and in the Student Union. The Friday displays, from 10 AM until 2 PM, will include BCA, wildlife and outdoor groups, government agencies, recyclers, fair trade and organic vendors, efficient construction and solar applications. Metered parking is available in the parking lot on 15th Street behind the Student Union. Please attend this celebration of our planet!

In addition, check out the following special events:

» As part of BCA's Campaign to End Clearcutting, you'll have the opportunity to raise questions and concerns at a town hall meeting on clearcutting with a panel of experts, including scientists, conservationists, and Forest Service officials in the West Ballroom (second floor) of the Wyoming Student Union from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM .

» The Murie Legacy will present the documentary ‘Oil on Ice’ followed by the film ‘Polar Dance’ on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM in the West Ballroom (if you miss it Friday, catch it at the Albany County Public Library from 1– 3 PM on Sunday, April 23rd).

» The Wyoming Peace, Justice, and Environment Center is sponsoring sections of the John Denver memorial quilt and the Children’s quilt and videos from the last Windstar Symposium in 1995. You can make your own quilt square to be returned with and sewn into the original. (Also on display at the Albany County Public Library from 1 to 8 PM on Sunday, April 23rd, in conjunction with the Murie Legacy’s presentation).

» On Saturday, Tatooine eRecycling will set up in the campus parking lot at 15th and Lewis Streets, to accept e-waste. They will be asking for a small donation for items taken.

MEDICINE BOW LOGGING THREATENS CLEAN WATER, STREAM HEALTH

On March 6, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance filed an administrative appeal to protect clean water and stream health in the Medicine Bow National Forest. The appeal, filed with the Supervisor of the Medicine Bow National Forest, challenges the Forest Service's decision to log in the French Creek watershed in the Snowy Range of the Medicine Bow National Forest, the most heavily clearcut watershed in the entire Forest. Within the North Fork of French Creek watershed alone, over 25% of the land has been clearcut. Studies have shown that harmful increases in runoff occur when more than 20% of a watershed is clearcut, leading to stream erosion and water pollution. Despite this, the Forest Service is pushing ahead with more logging in the French Creek watershed, putting clean water and stream health at risk. The Supervisor of the Medicine Bow National Forest has 45 days to respond to the administrative appeal. Find out more about clearcutting and how you can help stop it by visiting http://www.voiceforthewild.org/clearcutting/action_clearcutting.html.

DECLINING BLACK HILLS LAND SNAIL DENIED PROTECTION

The Black Hills mountainsnail, a declining indicator of forest health found only in the Black Hills of western South Dakota, was denied protection by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on February 28. Once common throughout the northern and central Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, the Black Hills mountainsnail has experienced significant declines over the years. Only 32 colonies are known to exist today and at over half of these colonies, the snail is considered rare. Experts agree that the snail is critically imperiled and at risk of extinction. In 2003, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the snail under the Endangered Species Act, a safety net for wildlife, fish, and plants on the brink of extinction. As an indicator of forest health, protection of the Black Hills mountainsnail would have provided enormous benefits to the health of the Black Hills National Forest. BCA is considering our options to overturn this negative decision. For more information on the Black Hills mountainsnail, visit our website at http://www.voiceforthewild.org/bhnf/news/n25sept03.html.

CHUNK OF MCCULLOUGH PEAKS PROPOSED WILDERNESS AUCTIONED

More than 12,000 acres of McCullough Peaks citizens' proposed wilderness, an area of wild-sculpted badlands in the Bighorn Basin, east of Cody, have been auctioned in the Bureau of Land Management's April oil and gas lease auction. Approximately the western third of this wild and fragile landscape would be offered up for future oil and gas development. If leased, oil corporations would have a ten-year right to explore and develop these public lands. The McCullough Peaks are a popular recreation destination, and also boast a small herd of wild horses, as well as mountain lions, mule deer, swift fox, and birds of prey. BCA has filed a formal lease protest with the BLM seeking to prevent the sale and protect the wilderness, together with Wyoming Wilderness Association, Center for Native Ecosystems, and Wyoming Outdoor Council.

JONAH DECISION - BULLDOZE PARADISE, PUT IN A PARKING LOT

The Bureau of Land Management has just authorized a massive "infill" project for the notorious Jonah Field, located in the scenic Upper Green River Valley, which will add an additional 3,100 gas wells at densities ranging from 64 to 128 wells per square mile. At these densities, two-thirds of the area within the field will be bulldozed, leaving behind only thin stringers of sagebrush between the wellpads. Sage grouse and pronghorns will be driven out of the undeveloped northern parts of the area, while sensitive native wildlife like the Brewer's sparrow, sage thrasher, and pygmy rabbit will be extirpated from their remaining habitat within the field. This is a needless waste of lands and wildlife, because EnCana (the Canadian company behind the project) could have produced the same gas resources by drilling directionally from the existing wellpads. BCA is studying options for a legal challenge to protect wildlife from this destructive project.

Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
P.O. Box 1512, Laramie, WY 82073
(307) 742-7978 - maggie@voiceforthewild.org