Socio-economic

The Valley's communities are facing a radical transformation as gas-field operations rush to extract as much natural gas while record-high prices last. Since the gas boom began in the late 1990s, parts of Sublette County have been experiencing housing shortages, infrastructure failures, declining air quality and increased traffic, traffic accidents, crime and social problems, such as drug use and domestic abuse.

The rapid pace of development, which federal land managers failed to anticipate, could be eroding the reasons why Pinedale-area residents choose to live in this wildlife-filled valley bounded by the Wyoming and Wind River ranges. Wamsutter, a gas-field town in nearby Sweetwater County that lacks the resources to build a community despite all the industrial activity, may offer a troubling glimpse into the future for Pinedale and Big Piney. The lesson here is that pacing development is good not just for wildlife and landscapes, but for people and communities as well.

The BLM grossly underestimated the pace of development when it authorized the Pinedale Anticline gas field in 1999. As a result, the Anticline’s Environmental Impact Statement does not adequately address impacts to the air (nitrous oxide emissions are triple what was predicted) and to the community. Five years ago, officials anticipated eight rigs drilling year-round.

Instead, the Anticline has been seeing the equivalent of 25 year-round rigs, and this summer 50 to 60 rigs are expected to be drilling there. As a result, drilling crews are packing the motels, leaving little room for other Pinedale visitors, and driving up rents. And it’s only going to get busier. The BLM expects to approve 450 drilling permits on the Anticline next year. That’s 100 more than last year.

It is time BLM consider limiting activity levels in its overheated gas fields and ask profitable corporations doing business here to shoulder more of the burden their activities impose on the communities. The Coalition insists that drilling be slowed to a sustainable pace to avoid overwhelming local communities with sudden influxes of people, traffic and social problems.