Rivers At Risk

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IMAGE imgs/rivrisk30.gif

Proposed
Action
Plan

Processing station, Pigeon
River Country.Through the end
of 1996, with the Niagaran-
Salina formation in the Pigeon
River Country playing out, the
development there has yielded
$400 million worth of oil and
gas, with $65.5 million in
income to the state.

(continued from previous page)
•These recommendations will be put forward in draft hydrocarbon development plans that will first be
delivered to the appropriate counties and townships for review.
• Once the hydrocarbon plans are coordinated with local land use plans, the state will organize a series of
open hearings in each watershed to receive public comment. All comments raised by the public at these
hearings will be given consideration for incorporation into the final plan, and written responses to each
omment will be provided.
•After each hydrocarbon development plan has been put into place, all oil and gas development proposals
in a watershed must meet the criteria set forth in the plan in order to receive drilling permits.
• To ensure compliance with the guidelines of the hydrocarbon development plan, the Advisory Councils
will hold regular meetings. The meetings also will address policy issues and encourage the widest possible
public participation.
More Effective Regulations
The hydrocarbon plans will incorporate the following planning and regulatory improvements, which
provide more control while still allowing the development of minerals:
• Require specific setbacks from sand dunes, wetlands, surface water, parks, residences, buildings, and
recreational areas.
• Identify areas in each watershed where minimum well spacing can be increased. In the case of Antrim
development, spacing could be increased from the 80 acres now required by law to 160 acres. Industry
research shows that this change would not diminish the ability to produce the gas. Halving the number of
wells would reduce by the same proportion the number of processing stations, pipelines, roads, and waste sites
in oil and gas developments.
• Require energy companies to share wells, roads, pipelines, and processing stations, and to divide
expenses and profits, under a unitization plan similar to the one Shell Oil and its partners agreed to in the
Pigeon River Country State Forest.
• Ban the use of waste pits and injection wells, which are used to bury waste created during the drilling
process, in sensitive areas. All waste will be required to be disposed of or reprocessed off-site, at solid waste
facilities licensed under state and federal laws.
• Require tougher standards on noise and odor, which include the most effective abatement technologies,
and more careful procedures for nuisance monitoring.
• Employ directional drilling technology, which enables producers to tap energy reserves from less
sensitive areas.
•Align roads and pipelines in the same corridor, and keep both as narrow as possible.
• Minimize the visual intrusion of wells and associated industrial facilities.
• Submit complete development proposals, including locations for well sites, pipeline routes, and
processing equipment, simultaneously to the DEQ, the DNR, and appropriate county and township
representatives.
The 10-Point Plan
After studying the Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development plan and evaluating how it was put into effect,
the Michigan Land Use Institute proposes the following course of action: To establish energy development
plans for seven watersheds threatened by Antrim gas development, and extend the existing Pigeon River Plan
to two others.
This action plan sets out specific steps to be taken by state agencies, local governments, and public interest
organizations to build a constituency for applying the Pigeon River approach to energy development statewide.
(1) Draw up a resolution to extend the Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development Plan to cover the entire
watersheds for the Pigeon and Black rivers. Draw up a detailed resolution calling for hydrocarbon
development plans in the watersheds of the Au Sable, Betsie, Boardman, Jordan, Manistee, Sturgeon, and
Thunder Bay rivers.
• Distribute the resolutions to conservation and environmental organizations, recreation industry groups,
and local governments.
• Obtain thousands of signatures.
• Present the signed resolutions to the Governor's Office, the Natural Resources Commission, and the
Legislature to certify that there is broad public sentiment to enact such plans.
• Call a news conference on the day the resolutions are presented to raise the visibility of and increase
support for the issue.
(continued on next page)




		Proposed Action Plan
Processing station, Pigeon River Country.Through the end of 1996, with the Niagaran- Salina formation in the Pigeon River Country playing out, the development there has yielded $400 million worth of oil and gas, with $65.5 million in income to the state.
	(continued from previous page) •These recommendations will be put forward in draft hydrocarbon development plans that will first be delivered to the appropriate counties and townships for review. • Once the hydrocarbon plans are coordinated with local land use plans, the state will organize a series of open hearings in each watershed to receive public comment. All comments raised by the public at these hearings will be given consideration for incorporation into the final plan, and written responses to each omment will be provided. •After each hydrocarbon development plan has been put into place, all oil and gas development proposals in a watershed must meet the criteria set forth in the plan in order to receive drilling permits. • To ensure compliance with the guidelines of the hydrocarbon development plan, the Advisory Councils will hold regular meetings. The meetings also will address policy issues and encourage the widest possible public participation. More Effective Regulations The hydrocarbon plans will incorporate the following planning and regulatory improvements, which provide more control while still allowing the development of minerals: • Require specific setbacks from sand dunes, wetlands, surface water, parks, residences, buildings, and recreational areas. • Identify areas in each watershed where minimum well spacing can be increased. In the case of Antrim development, spacing could be increased from the 80 acres now required by law to 160 acres. Industry research shows that this change would not diminish the ability to produce the gas. Halving the number of wells would reduce by the same proportion the number of processing stations, pipelines, roads, and waste sites in oil and gas developments. • Require energy companies to share wells, roads, pipelines, and processing stations, and to divide expenses and profits, under a unitization plan similar to the one Shell Oil and its partners agreed to in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. • Ban the use of waste pits and injection wells, which are used to bury waste created during the drilling process, in sensitive areas. All waste will be required to be disposed of or reprocessed off-site, at solid waste facilities licensed under state and federal laws. • Require tougher standards on noise and odor, which include the most effective abatement technologies, and more careful procedures for nuisance monitoring. • Employ directional drilling technology, which enables producers to tap energy reserves from less sensitive areas. •Align roads and pipelines in the same corridor, and keep both as narrow as possible. • Minimize the visual intrusion of wells and associated industrial facilities. • Submit complete development proposals, including locations for well sites, pipeline routes, and processing equipment, simultaneously to the DEQ, the DNR, and appropriate county and township representatives. The 10-Point Plan After studying the Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development plan and evaluating how it was put into effect, the Michigan Land Use Institute proposes the following course of action: To establish energy development plans for seven watersheds threatened by Antrim gas development, and extend the existing Pigeon River Plan to two others. This action plan sets out specific steps to be taken by state agencies, local governments, and public interest organizations to build a constituency for applying the Pigeon River approach to energy development statewide. (1) Draw up a resolution to extend the Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development Plan to cover the entire watersheds for the Pigeon and Black rivers. Draw up a detailed resolution calling for hydrocarbon development plans in the watersheds of the Au Sable, Betsie, Boardman, Jordan, Manistee, Sturgeon, and Thunder Bay rivers. • Distribute the resolutions to conservation and environmental organizations, recreation industry groups, and local governments. • Obtain thousands of signatures. • Present the signed resolutions to the Governor's Office, the Natural Resources Commission, and the Legislature to certify that there is broad public sentiment to enact such plans. • Call a news conference on the day the resolutions are presented to raise the visibility of and increase support for the issue. (continued on next page)