Pinedale Anticline Natural Gas field

Ten years ago, the Pinedale Anticline was a vast, open expanse of sagebrush steppe rising up from the banks of the Upper Green River on the southern side of Pinedale. Swept clean of snow by incessant winds, the Mesa—as it is known among Pinedale residents—has long provided crucial winter habitat for thousands of mule deer, pronghorn and sage-grouse. But these aren’t the Anticline’s only values. Thousands of feet under its rugged surface lie huge reserves of natural gas: an estimated 25 trillion cubic feet worth billions of dollars according to recent estimates.

Over the past 10 years, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has produced a number of documents—environmental impact statements—outlining the way the Anticline’s natural gas will be extracted.  Hundreds of pages long and sprinkled with technical language and confusing acronyms, they tend to be more than most people are interested in reading. Because of this, we have decided to create a citizens’ guide to the 2008 Pinedale Anticline Project Area Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD outlines the agency’s vision for natural gas development on the Mesa, and is critical for ensuring that the Upper Green River Valley’s air, water and wildlife are not adversely affected by the process.

Our goal with this guide, therefore, is to provide readers with a checklist of project details and a summary of the BLM’s preferred methods for reducing impacts, thereby enabling concerned citizens to act as informed watchdogs, armed with the knowledge necessary to hold the BLM accountable for its commitments.  See it here:  Citizens' Guide - Pinedale Anticline

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