Is Montana Fracked? Federal Oil and Gas Leasing in the Big Sky - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Is Montana Fracked? Federal Oil and Gas Leasing in the Big Sky State Presenter: Becca Fischer, Attorney, Climate Guardian, WildEarth Guardians

Public Lands Under BLM Management BLM manages 700 million acres of ○ publically-owned minerals. BLM manages 7.9 million acres in ○ Montana. Montana oil and gas lease sales ○ (map) Oil and gas holding tanks in the Uinta Basin, Utah

2018 BLM Oil and Gas Lease Sales Source: BLM Regional Oil and Gas Lease Sales website

Steps in the Federal Oil and Gas Process Land Use Planning ○ Leasing ○ Permits to Drill ○ Development ○ Map of oil and gas stipulations from the Butte Field Office RMP

Our Concerns Piecemealing analysis: 4 different ○ NEPA documents Postponement of full analysis until ○ drilling stage No consideration of cumulative ○ impacts of other federal leasing No consideration of the impacts of ○ fracking No consideration of actual intent ○ to develop

Why Care? Leasing ties up the land for 10 or more ○ years Impacts to communities, public health ○ Threats to air quality, water quality and ○ quantity Massive greenhouse gas emissions: 20% of ○ the U.S.’s emissions come from federal fossil fuels Threats to wildlife ○ Pump jacks, a flare, and tanks in the Uinta Basin, Utah

What You Can Do Get Informed ○ Make your voice heard ○ Sign PCEC’s petition ○ Contact the BLM and ○ Secretary Zinke View of Livingston Peak from PCEC’s office

Questions? Contact me at: 406-698-1489, rfischer@wildearthguardians.org ○