28 Oct CHC Files Second Appeal of USFS Drilling Approval

October 28, 2013 –

Citizens for a Healthy Community has filed a second appeal of the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) plans to allow SG Interests to drill in the Gunnison National Forest. The drilling request is for up to five wells at the 11-90-9#3 proposed well pad, located just off of County Road 265 (Collbran Rd.).

Working with our partners at the Western Environmental Law Center and High Country Citizens Alliance, CHC filed the appeal earlier this week in order to prevent the Forest Service from improperly approving the drilling plans without conducting the legally required analysis.

What’s more, the Forest Service has left out any discussion of impacts from the proposal on big game populations that they previously discussed in their first attempt to approve the drilling location even though the proposed well pad location is in elk winter concentration area. The plans also appear to be an improperly segmented from SG’s Bull Mountain Master Development Plan, which is located less than 2 miles away.

The Forest Service previously tried to authorize drilling in this location by side-stepping the required analysis by claiming that site specific analysis for a nearby project applied to this exact location. When CHC, WELC, and HCCA appealed that decision, the USFS withdrew their approval.