Guardians Appeals to Overturn Public Lands Fracking in Idaho

Protest Filed to Stop Federal Auction of Oil and Gas Leases Near Boise

Boise—Standing up to protect clean air, the climate, and wildlife, WildEarth Guardians earlier this week filed an appeal to stop plans by the federal government to auction off more than 6,000 acres of public lands for fracking in Idaho.

“This is about keeping Idaho’s public lands safe from the devastating impacts of fracking,” said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians.  “For our future, we simply can’t afford the massive influx of industrial development, including more air pollution, more water contamination, and lost wildlife habitat that comes with oil and gas development.”

Responding to pressure from industry, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has proposed to sell five oil and gas leases totaling 6,474 acres on May 28.  The parcels are located east of Payette in the Little Willow Creek drainage upstream of the Payette River.  While Idaho is not a major oil and gas producer, the advent of fracking has made the state the target of industry.

Although the Bureau of Land Management claims that the leasing is necessary to prevent industry from illegally draining federal minerals from nearby private lands, there are no producing wells in the area.  While the agency admits there is only a “risk” of future drainage, by law the Bureau of Land Management cannot auction off public lands to the oil and gas industry unless drainage is actually occurring. 

What’s more, leasing is the most extreme way of dealing with drainage.  Because leasing conveys a right for a private company to develop, the Bureau of Land Management could open the door for wholesale industrialization of public lands.  Given that the agency has other options for dealing with drainage, including assessing royalties against private companies, there is no need to lease.

By leasing, the Bureau of Land Management could be enabling full-field oil and gas development.  Even with protective stipulations, the area could be extensively impacted.

“This isn’t an effort to protect the value of federal oil and gas, it’s about catering to the greed of a private company that believes our public lands should only serve its profit motives,” said Nichols.  “The Bureau of Land Management is not over a barrel here, yet they’re still moving to sacrifice our public lands.”

If successful, Guardians’ appeal will prevent the Bureau of Land Management from moving forward with its proposed leasing.  A response is expected before May 28.


 

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