Rivers At Risk

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Proposed
Action Plan IMAGE imgs/rivrisk29.gif

Pumpjacks, Pigeon River Country.The energy industry
incorrectly predicted in the 1970s that oil and gas
reserves in the Pigeon River Country would be worth $4.5
billion, with up to $1 billion of that going to the state...

Reaching AGoal

Having gained decisive political momentum, he environmental and conservation communities are poised
to take advantage of a singular opportunity:

To revive the energy development planning model
first instituted in the Pigeon River Country,
and apply it to nine threatened watersheds.

Never before has attention to Antrim Shale development been keener than it is now:
• Careful research, persistent organizing, and cooperation among MERC member groups has yielded an
influential statewide grass roots movement.
•The DNR has recognized the need for resource management initiatives that work on a watershed basis.
•The state Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives, has begun to take a special interest in
the MERC program and is considering policy reforms.
A Workable Model ForToday
One of the defining characteristics of the Pigeon River plan is that it covers state-owned and privately-
owned land. Today's hydrocarbon plans also must include thorough assessments of and guidelines for the
various potential economic and environmental effects on both types of land.
Since private land in most of these watersheds is experiencing rapid residential and commercial growth,
the guidelines need to be particularly sensitive to the inherent conflicts presented by oil and gas development.
Modern hydrocarbon development plan guidelines must:
• Give special consideration to the effects of oil and gas drilling on private property values.
• Coordinate with the land use plans of local governments.
• Balance fairly the property rights of landowners with precautions to protect communities and the
landscape from haphazard development.
Coordinated Planning And Oversight
Coordination of energy development in sensitive watersheds is an essential aspect of a successful plan.
The Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Michigan Public
Service Commission must develop a new ethic for cooperative management of oil and gas development. And
these agencies must open the planning process to citizen participation.
Using the 1980 Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development Plan as a model, the Michigan Land Use Institute
recommends the following:
An Advisory Council will be established for each watershed to ensure that citizens have a meaningful
voice in the process. The Advisory Councils will work with the DNR, the DEQ, and the MPSC on all matters
concerning leasing, permitting, and oversight of oil and gas development.
The Advisory Councils will be made up of 12 members, who will be nominated by Boards of
Commissioners from the local counties and authorized by five assigned hydrocarbon development plan
coordinators from the DNR, DEQ, and MPSC. The council membership will consist of representatives from:
• local government (4 members)
• the oil and gas industry (1 member)
• county road commission (1 member)
• public interest groups (2 members), and
• citizenry at large, speaking for diverse interests including recreation, forestry, agriculture, and small
business (4 members).
The state agencies, in conjunction with the Advisory Councils, will then:
•Thoroughly research the economic, land use, environmental, and health and safety issues associated with
drilling in each watershed.
•Acquire a thorough understanding of the technical abilities and limitations of the energy industry.
• Based on this review, issue plans that:
- Identify those areas that are off-limits to drilling.
- Identify those areas where drilling will be allowed.
- Establish criteria to guide the development.

(continued on next page)



Proposed Action Plan
	Pumpjacks, Pigeon River Country.The energy industry incorrectly predicted in the 1970s that oil and gas reserves in the Pigeon River Country would be worth $4.5 billion, with up to $1 billion of that going to the state...
Reaching AGoal Having gained decisive political momentum, he environmental and conservation communities are poised to take advantage of a singular opportunity:
		To revive the energy development planning model first instituted in the Pigeon River Country, and apply it to nine threatened watersheds.
Never before has attention to Antrim Shale development been keener than it is now: • Careful research, persistent organizing, and cooperation among MERC member groups has yielded an influential statewide grass roots movement. •The DNR has recognized the need for resource management initiatives that work on a watershed basis. •The state Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives, has begun to take a special interest in the MERC program and is considering policy reforms. A Workable Model ForToday One of the defining characteristics of the Pigeon River plan is that it covers state-owned and privately- owned land. Today's hydrocarbon plans also must include thorough assessments of and guidelines for the various potential economic and environmental effects on both types of land. Since private land in most of these watersheds is experiencing rapid residential and commercial growth, the guidelines need to be particularly sensitive to the inherent conflicts presented by oil and gas development. Modern hydrocarbon development plan guidelines must: • Give special consideration to the effects of oil and gas drilling on private property values. • Coordinate with the land use plans of local governments. • Balance fairly the property rights of landowners with precautions to protect communities and the landscape from haphazard development. Coordinated Planning And Oversight Coordination of energy development in sensitive watersheds is an essential aspect of a successful plan. The Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Michigan Public Service Commission must develop a new ethic for cooperative management of oil and gas development. And these agencies must open the planning process to citizen participation. Using the 1980 Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development Plan as a model, the Michigan Land Use Institute recommends the following: An Advisory Council will be established for each watershed to ensure that citizens have a meaningful voice in the process. The Advisory Councils will work with the DNR, the DEQ, and the MPSC on all matters concerning leasing, permitting, and oversight of oil and gas development. The Advisory Councils will be made up of 12 members, who will be nominated by Boards of Commissioners from the local counties and authorized by five assigned hydrocarbon development plan coordinators from the DNR, DEQ, and MPSC. The council membership will consist of representatives from: • local government (4 members) • the oil and gas industry (1 member) • county road commission (1 member) • public interest groups (2 members), and • citizenry at large, speaking for diverse interests including recreation, forestry, agriculture, and small business (4 members). The state agencies, in conjunction with the Advisory Councils, will then: •Thoroughly research the economic, land use, environmental, and health and safety issues associated with drilling in each watershed. •Acquire a thorough understanding of the technical abilities and limitations of the energy industry. • Based on this review, issue plans that: - Identify those areas that are off-limits to drilling. - Identify those areas where drilling will be allowed. - Establish criteria to guide the development. (continued on next page)