Lawsuit to Protect Utah Rok Art in Nine Mile Canyon

Eco groups sue to stop drilling in Nine Mile Canyon
By Patty HenetzThe Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 08/07/2008 12:52:53 PM MDT



Posted: 12:39 PM- Three conservation groups are suing the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in a bid to halt gas drilling in eastern Utah's scenic Nine Mile Canyon. The Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and The Wilderness Society filed the federal lawsuit this week in Salt Lake City, alleging the BLM acted illegally when it approved Bill Barrett Corp.'s request to drill 25 new natural-gas wells on the West Tavaputs Plateau. The lawsuit argues the BLM's Price field office failed to properly analyze the harm big-rig traffic is doing to ancient Puebloan rock art and other artifacts, failed to include the public in its decision and didn't consult Indian tribes before the action, as mandated by environmental-protection law. The Price field office used a loophole in the 2005 Energy Policy Act that says one broad environmental-impact statement on one drilling application can serve for all subsequent requests. In February, Brad Higdon, planning and environmental coordinator in the BLM's Price field office, said that before drilling can begin, each well location, pipeline and road will get a separate evaluation based on "ground truth" culled from on-site surveys involving biologists, archaeologists and other resource specialists. "Nine Mile Canyon is an unusual place full of rock art, prehistoric ruins and historic
reminders of Utah's military, farming and ranching history," said Pam Miller, chairwoman of the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition's board of directors. "By using a loophole to issue drilling permits, BLM is avoiding considering the importance of these resources and the impacts of industrial development on our past." Mike Stiewig, the Price field office associate director, also named in the lawsuit, wasn't immediately available Thursday for comment. With about 100 wells already developed, big rigs serving the Denver-based Bill Barrett's gas fields make hundreds of trips up and down the steep, narrow dirt road. Chemicals used to suppress dust, strong enough to corrode concrete, have stuck to rock-art panels. The fugitive dust further degrades air quality and affects water quality, riparian areas and visibility, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants BLM to study further. phenetz@sltrib.com