Major oil and gas development is one step closer to
fruition on 2 million acres of public land in northeastern Utah.
Geophysical surveying company Veritas DGC Inc. recently submitted a
draft environmental assessment, proposing two-dimensional seismic
exploration in the Book Cliffs area.
Instead of
using behemoth thumper trucks, Veritas plans to detonate 7,500
underground explosives in 60-foot deep holes. The scheme entails
laying charges along 17 seismic lines that total 472 miles which
pass through wilderness inventory and proposed wilderness areas.
Veritas, though, plans to use helicopter-portable drills and
existing roads in these areas. Elsewhere it will use lightweight
trucks and buggies.
The Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance contends that the proposed project crosses through elk and
mule deer winter range, threatens the wilderness nature of the
area, and would damage sensitive cryptobiotic
soils.
You can check out the environmental
assessment (UT-080-2002-21) at www.blm.gov/utah/vernal. Public
comments will be accepted until Aug. 12. To voice your comments,
contact Roger Schoumacher at TRC Mariah Associates Inc. at
307/742-3843 or rogers@trcsolutions.com.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Utah gases up.
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