Sagebrush Country and Oil and Gas Country Can Coexist A Voice for the Western Majority
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Sagebrush Country and Oil and Gas Country Can Coexist
A Voice for the Western Majority
In recent months, communities, businesses and elected officials throughout the West have collaborated in an unprecedented federal and state planning effort to conserve the habitat of the Greater sage-grouse, a ground-dwelling sagebrush spe-cies whose rapid decline has made it a potential candidate for listing under the En-dangered Species Act. Because western economies are dependent on the sagebrush ecosystem and the numerous activities it supports—including recreation, tourism, ranching, and energy development—stakeholders have come together from all lev-els (local, state, and federal) in an effort to avoid the need for a listing.
However, throughout this cooperative process, some lobbyists for oil and gas companies have repeatedly claimed that the Department of the Interior’s proposed plans to protect the bird would prohibit oil and gas development on large amounts of western public lands. As our new analysis shows, that claim does not square with the reality on the ground in the West, where there is ample room for both responsible energy development and sage-grouse conservation.
Last October, Western Values Project released a report showing how responsi-ble energy development is indeed compatible with the long-term conservation of Greater sage-grouse. The report found almost no overlap between areas being tar-geted for energy development and key sage-grouse habitat areas, and additionally found that in the few areas where there was overlap, only 2% of the existing leases were actually producing oil or gas. Given these results, we predicted that forthcom-ing management plans from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—the agency responsible for managing over 50 million acres of sagebrush habitat across eleven western states—could provide ample protections for the Greater sage-grouse with-out hindering energy development on public lands.
WesternValuesProject.org
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In May of 2015, the BLM released its proposed plans for managing Greater sage-grouse habitat within eleven western states. In developing the plans, the BLM worked closely with a broad range of stakeholders, including state and local governments, ranchers, business owners and sportsmen. In all, the proposed plans would prioritize the conservation of 11 million acres of the most critical sage-grouse habitat called “sagebrush focal areas” (SFAs) and would also protect a “second-tier” of sage-grouse habitat called Priority Habitat Man-agement Areas, or PHMAs. If ultimately adopted, the SFAs and PHMAs would provide key and much needed protections for Greater sage-grouse, along with hundreds of other species that occupy and rely on the same habitat.
In April of 2015, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an updated map of oil and gas shale plays in the United States. Drilling in these plays, which include the Bakken, Marcellus and Eagle Ford, has fueled our domestic oil and gas boom and allowed the United States to become the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas. EIA’s new map includes updated boundaries and additional geological information on the shale plays – in-formation that, according to EIA, will help the industry “reduce the risk of drilling dry, non-producing wells and better understand hydrocarbon resource potentials.” The map should allow the oil and gas industry to identify the most productive, high-return shale plays.
Our new analysis compares territory covered by the SFAs and PHMAs with the shale plays identified by the EIA. In sum, we found almost no overlap between the proposed SFAs and PHMAs and the shale plays identified by EIA. As such, the protections for sage-grouse that would apply within the SFAs and PHMAs should not affect or inhibit development of our most productive domestic shale oil and gas plays.
A Closer Look at the Truth of Oil and Gas Development in Sagebrush Country
Since our previous report, the BLM has issued its proposed management plans for the Greater sage-grouse. As explained in more detail below, the proposed plans confirm the predictions in our previous report as key areas identified for sage-grouse protections by the BLM are almost entirely separate and distinct from lands with the most valuable oil and gas resources. Additionally, valid existing leases are not impacted by the BLM plans. The lack of overlap between areas identified for Greater sage-grouse protections and areas valuable for oil and gas development provides another important reason why all stakeholders should support the proposed plans and why the BLM should adopt and finalize the habitat protections set forth in those plans. In spite of the misleading rhetoric from industry’s lobbyists, the BLM’s plans can protect the Greater sage-grouse while still providing ample opportunities for responsible energy development.
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Of the approximately 369 million acres of current and prospective shale plays across the entire U.S. as identified by EIA, only 1.2 million acres, or much less than one percent, overlap with SFAs. And in just the western states covered by the proposed BLM plans, the SFAs again cover less than one percent of shale plays.
State Shale Play Basin Acres in State
Acres of Overlap with
SFAs
Percent Overlap
California Monterey Los Angeles Basin
475,000 0 0%
California Monterey-Tem-blor
San Joaquin Basin
1,650,000 0 0%
California Monterey Santa Maria Basin
497,000 0 0%
California Monterey Santa Maria- Ventura OS
17,000 0 0%
California Monterey Ventura Basin 232,000 0 0%Colorado Niobrara Denver Basin 4,555,000 0 0%Colorado HillardBaxter-
Mancos-NiobraraGreater Green River
2,276,000 0 0%
Colorado Hermosa Paradox 8,000 0 0%Colorado Niobrara Park Basin 329,000 0 0%Colorado Niobrara Piceance
Basin5,182,000 0 0%
Colorado Pierre-Niobrara Raton 1,275,000 0 0%Montana Cody Montana
Thrust Belt1,448,000 0 0%
Montana Niobrara North-Central MT
1,174,000 0 0%
Montana Niobrara Powder River 110,000 0 0%Montana Bakken Williston 4,871,000 0 0%Montana Heath Williston 2,093,000 0 0%Montana Three Forks Williston 5,565,000 0 0%North Dakota Bakken Williston 11,850,000 0 0%
Table 1: Overlap of SFAs and EIA’s Shale Plays in the 11 Western States Covered by BLM’s Proposed Sage-Grouse Plans
Overlap of Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) with EIA’s Identified Shale Plays
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A Greater sage-grouse struts near a pronghorn, just two of the over 350 species of wildlife that live in the western sagebrush ecosystem.
North Dakota Three Forks Williston 14,468,000 0 0%Utah HillardBaxter-
Mancos-NiobraraGreater Green River
91,000 0 0%
Utah Hermosa Pardox 1,897,000 0 0%Utah Mancos Uinta 2,484,000 0 0%Utah Manning Canyon Uinta 876,000 0 0%Wyoming Mowry Big Horn 647,000 0 0%Wyoming Niobrara Denver Basin 2,729,000 0 0%Wyoming Hillard Baxter-
Mancos-NiobraraGreater Green River
9,113,000 1,181,000 12.96%
Wyoming Niobrara Piceance Basin
341,000 0 0%
Wyoming Niobrara Powder River 6,182,000 0 0%Wyoming Niobrara-Mowry Powder River 5,630,000” 0 0%
Total 88,065,000 1,181,000 1.34%
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Three Forks PlayWilliston Basin
Bakken PlayWilliston Basin
Niobrara PlayDenver Basin
NiobraraPlay
PiceanceBasin
Niobrara PlayPowder River
Basin
Hillard-Baxter-Mancos-Niobrara Play
Greater GreenRiver Basin
Niobrara-Mowry Play
PowderRiver Basin
HermosaPlay
PardoxBasin
Heath PlayWilliston
Basin
MancosPlay
UintaBasin
Monterey-Temblor Play
San Joaquin Basin
Mancos PlayUinta Basin
Lewis PlaySan Juan Basin
Pierre -Niobrara PlayRaton Basin
Cody PlayMontana
Thrust BeltBasin
Niobrara PlayNorth-Central
MT Basin
Mowry PlayBig Horn
Basin
ManningCanyon PlayUinta Basin
NiobraraPlay
Park Basin
Content may not reflect National Geographic's current map policy. Sources:National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, HERE, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA,METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, increment P Corp.
Sagebrush Focal Areas andEIA Oil & Gas Shale Play Areas
Legend
States
EIA Current Shale Plays
EIA Prospective Shale Plays
Sagebrush Focal Areas0 100 200 300 400 50050 Miles
°
Data Sources: BLM, EIA, esri.Sagebrush Focal Areas only shownwhen referred to in RMPMap Created by: Alison GallenskyRocky Mountain Wild15-105 8/24/2015 v1
7WesternValuesProject.org
Three Forks PlayWilliston Basin
Bakken PlayWilliston Basin
Niobrara PlayDenver Basin
NiobraraPlay
PiceanceBasin
Niobrara PlayPowder River
Basin
Hillard-Baxter-Mancos-Niobrara Play
Greater GreenRiver Basin
Niobrara-Mowry Play
PowderRiver Basin
HermosaPlay
PardoxBasin
Heath PlayWilliston
Basin
MancosPlay
UintaBasin
Monterey-Temblor Play
San Joaquin Basin
Mancos PlayUinta Basin
Lewis PlaySan Juan Basin
Pierre -Niobrara PlayRaton Basin
Cody PlayMontana
Thrust BeltBasin
Niobrara PlayNorth-Central
MT Basin
Mowry PlayBig Horn
Basin
ManningCanyon PlayUinta Basin
NiobraraPlay
Park Basin
Content may not reflect National Geographic's current map policy. Sources:National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, HERE, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA,METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, increment P Corp.
Greater Sage-Grouse Priority Habitat Management AreasAnd EIA Oil & Gas Shale Play Areas
Legend
States
EIA Current Shale Plays
EIA Prospective Shale Plays
Priority Habitat Management Areas0 100 200 300 400 50050 Miles
°
Data Sources: BLM, EIA, esriMap Created by: Alison GallenskyRocky Mountain Wild15-105 8/24/2015 v1
8WesternValuesProject.org
Overlap of Priority Habitat Management Areas and EIA’s Identified Shale Plays
State Shale Play Basin Acres in State
Acres of Overlap with
PHMAs
Percent Overlap
California Monterey Los Angeles Basin
475,000 0 0%
California Montrey- Temblor
San Joaquin Basin
1,650,000 0 0%
California Monterey Santa Maria Basin
497,000 0 0%
California Monterey Santa Ma-ria-Ventura OS
17,000 0 0%
California Monterey Ventura Basin 232,000 0 0%Colorado Niobrara Denver Basin 4,555,000 0 0%Colorado Hillard Baxter
Mancos-Nio-brara
Greater Green River
2,276,000 989,000 43.5%
Colorado Hermosa Paradox 8,000 0 0%Colorado Niobrara Park Basin 329,000 258,000 78.4%Colorado Niobrara Piceance Basin 5,182,000 1,425,000 27.5%Colorado Pierre- Nio-
braraRaton 1,275,000 0 0%
Montana Cody Montana Thrust Belt
1,448,000 0 0%
Montana Niobrara North-Central MT
1,174,000 0 0%
Montana Niobrara Powder River 110,000 49,000 44.5%
Similarly, there is minimal overlap between current and prospective shale plays and PHMAs, the second-tier habitat proposed for designation in the BLM’s management plans. Less than three percent of shale plays throughout the U.S. that are identified by EIA overlap with the BLM’s PHMAs. Again, in the western states where the BLM would designate PHMAs, there is less than 12% of overlap.
Table 2: Overlap of PHMAs and EIA’s Shale Plays in the 11 Western States Covered by BLM’s Proposed Sage-Grouse Plans
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Montana Bakken Williston 4,871,000 0 0%Montana Heath Williston 2,093,000 1,408,000 67.3%Montana Three Forks Williston 5,565,000 0 0%North Dakota Bakken Williston 11,850,000 0 0%North Dakota Three Forks Williston 14,468,000 0 0%Utah Hillard Baxter-
Mancos- Nio-brara
Greater Green River
91,000 0 0%
Utah Hermosa Pardox 1,897,000 0 0%Utah Mancos Uinta 2,484,000 127,000 5.1%Utah Manning
CanyonUinta 876,000 20,000 2.3%
Wyoming Mowry Big Horn 647,000 142,000 21.9%Wyoming Niobrara Denver Basin 2,729,000 0 0%Wyoming HillardBaxter-
Mancos-Nio-brara
Greater Green River
9,113,000 3,632,000 39.9%
Wyoming Niobrara Piceance Basin 341,000 43,000 12.6%Wyoming Niobrara Powder River 6,182,000 1,015,000 16.4%Wyoming Niobrara-
MowryPowder River 5,630,000 1,144,000 20.3%
Total 88,065,000 10,252,000 11.6%
As predicted in our previous report and confirmed by our new analysis, there is almost no conflict between the management proposed by the BLM to protect the Greater sage-grouse and areas with the most valuable oil and gas resources. The most important areas for sage-grouse habitat protection—the SFAs and PHMAs identified in the proposed BLM plans—and the areas with highest potential for oil and gas development, as identified by the EIA, are almost entirely distinct. As such, conservation of the Greater sage-grouse is wholly compatible with the development of oil and gas resources. The compatibility of these two goals provides an important reason why the BLM should finalize and adopt its proposed management plans for the Greater sage-grouse.
The Path Forward
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