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Timeline of the Pigeon River Hydrocarbon Development
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January 1972 --The Pigeon River Country Association is formed.
January 28, 1972 --Having failed to gain a permit for its Corwith 1-22 well, Pan American and Northern
Michigan Energy Company sell their lease to McClure Oil Company. Owner Harold McClure is a
businessman from Almira and an influential fund-raiser for the Republican Party.
May 19, 1972 --McClure Oil forms a wholly owned subsidiary, the Michigan Oil Company, to develop the
Corwith 1-22 well.
May 21, 1972 --The Pigeon River Country Association takes U.S. Senator Bob Davis and other dignitaries
on a tour of the region.
May 31, 1972 --Michigan Oil Company applies for a new permit to drill the Corwith 1-22 well near the
Black River Swamp.
July 19, 1972 --During a meeting of the Natural Resources Commission in Cadillac, the Pigeon River
Country Association present a petition, signed by 12,000 state residents, opposing drilling in the Pigeon River
Country.The group also announces that it has modified Ford Kellum's original proposal, and calls for 127
square miles to be set aside as a "special management area." The DNR announces that it is assigning staff to
draw up a management plan for the Pigeon River Country State Forest.
July 21, 1972 --Art Slaughter, the GSD chief, again denies a permit for oil and gas drilling at the Corwith
1-22 well site. Michigan Oil Company immediately appeals to the Natural Resources Commission. Frederick
Abood, a former assistant attorney general, is assigned as hearing officer.
August 1972 --Members of the Pigeon River Country Association meet with oil industry executives to
discuss directional drilling and other state of the art development practices.
December 1972 --The Pigeon River Country Association seeks to intervene in a hearing at which the DNR
opposes Michigan Oil Company's application to drill the Corwith 1-22 well.
January 8 through February 21, 1973 --A21-day hearing on the Corwith 1-22 drilling application is held
before hearing officer Frederick Abood in Lansing. Attorney Peter Vellenga represents the Pigeon River
Country Association.
March 1973 -- DNR director A. Gene Gazlay asks oil companies to work out a cooperative plan of
development for hydrocarbon resources in the Pigeon River Country, and to withhold all drilling permit
applications until such a plan is approved by the agency and the Natural Resources Commission. Industry
abides by the request, and drilling is halted.
April 1973 --Shell, Amoco, and Nomeco begin drafting a plan with DNR staffers for managing hydrocarbon
development in the Pigeon River Country.
July 1973 --The first draft of the management plan is submitted to senior DNR officials for review.
August 1973 -- During a meeting of the Natural Resources Commission, DNR staff members and industry
executives describe the management plan. The Commissioners adopt a motion that advises the industry and
the DNR staff to proceed with formal preparation of the plan.
October11, 1973 --Hearing officer Frederick Abood issues a 34-page finding of fact and law in the
Michigan Oil case. The finding recommends that the permit to drill the Corwith 1-22 well should be issued.
Abood asserts that Michigan Oil should be allowed to exercise the rights granted to it by the lease contract. He
says the well will not cause unnecessary damage. And he also determines that the proposed well site does not
differ in any significant way from the other locations for which the DNR had already granted drilling
permits in the Pigeon River area.
October11, 1973 --The Natural Resources Commission publicly introduces AConcept of Management for
the Pigeon River Country, drafted by Ray Pfeifer, a DNR forest resource development specialist.
November 12 & 13, 1973 --The DNR holds public meetings on the new management plan in Gaylord and
Lansing.
November 28, 1973 -- ADNR staff report on the public meetings notes that those in attendance strongly
urged adoption of the management plan. The report also notes, "The most prevalent concern involved the oil
and gas exploration and development. It was explained that the plan is not final in regard to management of
the hydrocarbon resources."
December 7, 1973 -- AConcept of Management for the Pigeon River Country is formally adopted by the
DNR and approved by the Natural Resources Commission. The plan states: "It will be the policy of the
Department of Natural Resources to manage the Pigeon River Country to protect and maintain the natural
beauty of its forests and waters, and to sustain a healthy elk herd and wildlife populations."
January 1974 --Ned Caveney, a respected DNR staffer, becomes the first Area Forester for the Pigeon River
Country State Forest.
January 10, 1974 --At a meeting of the Natural Resources Commission, the Pigeon River Country
Association formally objects to Frederick Abood's finding of fact in the Michigan Oil case.
February 7, 1974 --The Natural Resources Commission formally considers Frederick Abood's finding of
fact and recommendations in the Michigan Oil case.
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