Bill to protect Wyoming Range on track
LANDER (AP) - The push to expand domestic oil and gas drilling shouldn't threaten the success of a bill to protect the Wyoming Range, the state's two U.S. senators say.
High energy prices have prompted many in Congress to call for increasing domestic energy production. Nonetheless, Wyoming's senators say they expect lawmakers to support the Wyoming Range Legacy Act.
Gregory Keeley, press secretary for Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said he expects the main push in Congress will be to produce more oil from drilling offshore and in Alaska, rather than in Wyoming.
"As Senator Barrasso has often stated, Wyoming contributes to the energy needs of the United States every day," Keeley said. "We are first in coal production, first in uranium production, second in onshore natural gas and seventh in oil production. In the Wyoming Range, we have proven you can have both conservation and production."
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there's a maximum of 5 million barrels of recoverable oil in the Wyoming Range. Keeley said that's about half of one day's oil import.
The bill to restrict future development of the Wyoming Range is backed by conservation organizations, sporting groups, union and trade organizations and Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming opposes the bill.
The bill would block additional oil and gas leasing, mining patents or geothermal leasing in a 100-mile-long section of the range. The land is in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Current oil and gas production in the area wouldn't be affected. While oil and gas leases already issued in the area would remain valid, the bill would allow groups or individuals to buy back leases and retire them permanently if the leaseholders were willing to sell.
Barrasso introduced the bill last year. It's based on legislation planned by the late Wyoming Republican Sen. Craig Thomas.
"There are certain places that we want to protect, and one is this area of the Wyoming Range," Barrasso said last year. "It does allow for directional exploration. It doesn't stop anything that's going on there currently."
The bill has been placed in a larger package of 90 bipartisan conservation measures called the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. It was introduced in the Senate in June but hasn't yet received a full hearing.
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is co-sponsoring the legislation. Elly Pickett, Enzi's press secretary, said the people of Wyoming have told the senator that they want the Wyoming Range protected.
Pickett said Enzi believes affected states and their governors should have the largest saw about which areas to develop and which to protect.
"When there is broad consensus by state residents and their leaders on special protections for certain areas, then they should be recognized, just as the people in states who want the benefits of increased energy production should be," Pickett said.
Bruce Hinchey, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said he can't predict how renewed debate over domestic energy production might affect the bill.
"I think a lot depends on what Congress eventually decides to do," Hinchey said. "Are they going to decide that they're really going to solve some problems for once, or are they going to continue with the lip service?"
The association supports protecting portions of the Wyoming Range from development. But Hinchey said stopping all new leases on 1.2 million acres of federal land would be excessive.
Tom Reed of Trout Unlimited said he expects that few members of Congress will take issue with the bill once they look at it closely. He said it would allow for existing activity to continue and would allow drilling on existing leases that are undeveloped.
Reed said sportsmen generally welcome energy development in the West because it is a boon for the economy and creates good jobs. He said many of Trout Unlimited's members work in the oil and gas industries, but said those same workers also want places to hunt and fish.
LANDER (AP) - The push to expand domestic oil and gas drilling shouldn't threaten the success of a bill to protect the Wyoming Range, the state's two U.S. senators say.
High energy prices have prompted many in Congress to call for increasing domestic energy production. Nonetheless, Wyoming's senators say they expect lawmakers to support the Wyoming Range Legacy Act.
Gregory Keeley, press secretary for Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said he expects the main push in Congress will be to produce more oil from drilling offshore and in Alaska, rather than in Wyoming.
"As Senator Barrasso has often stated, Wyoming contributes to the energy needs of the United States every day," Keeley said. "We are first in coal production, first in uranium production, second in onshore natural gas and seventh in oil production. In the Wyoming Range, we have proven you can have both conservation and production."
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there's a maximum of 5 million barrels of recoverable oil in the Wyoming Range. Keeley said that's about half of one day's oil import.
The bill to restrict future development of the Wyoming Range is backed by conservation organizations, sporting groups, union and trade organizations and Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming opposes the bill.
The bill would block additional oil and gas leasing, mining patents or geothermal leasing in a 100-mile-long section of the range. The land is in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Current oil and gas production in the area wouldn't be affected. While oil and gas leases already issued in the area would remain valid, the bill would allow groups or individuals to buy back leases and retire them permanently if the leaseholders were willing to sell.
Barrasso introduced the bill last year. It's based on legislation planned by the late Wyoming Republican Sen. Craig Thomas.
"There are certain places that we want to protect, and one is this area of the Wyoming Range," Barrasso said last year. "It does allow for directional exploration. It doesn't stop anything that's going on there currently."
The bill has been placed in a larger package of 90 bipartisan conservation measures called the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. It was introduced in the Senate in June but hasn't yet received a full hearing.
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is co-sponsoring the legislation. Elly Pickett, Enzi's press secretary, said the people of Wyoming have told the senator that they want the Wyoming Range protected.
Pickett said Enzi believes affected states and their governors should have the largest saw about which areas to develop and which to protect.
"When there is broad consensus by state residents and their leaders on special protections for certain areas, then they should be recognized, just as the people in states who want the benefits of increased energy production should be," Pickett said.
Bruce Hinchey, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, said he can't predict how renewed debate over domestic energy production might affect the bill.
"I think a lot depends on what Congress eventually decides to do," Hinchey said. "Are they going to decide that they're really going to solve some problems for once, or are they going to continue with the lip service?"
The association supports protecting portions of the Wyoming Range from development. But Hinchey said stopping all new leases on 1.2 million acres of federal land would be excessive.
Tom Reed of Trout Unlimited said he expects that few members of Congress will take issue with the bill once they look at it closely. He said it would allow for existing activity to continue and would allow drilling on existing leases that are undeveloped.
Reed said sportsmen generally welcome energy development in the West because it is a boon for the economy and creates good jobs. He said many of Trout Unlimited's members work in the oil and gas industries, but said those same workers also want places to hunt and fish.
