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Gillard's announcement follows a decision on February 1st
by the U.S. Forest Service approving a plan by Savoy Energy of
Traverse City to drill for natural gas in some of the Lower Peninsula's last
true wilderness areas. "The
Forest Service ruling is disappointing but not unexpected," said Gillard, who
also renewed his call for state lawmakers to move on his Mason Tract
Protection Plan legislation, an oil and gas reform package introduced last
year that would create the nation's toughest statewide drilling noise limit. "We
anticipated this action all along, and the fight is far from over," added
Gillard, who was appointed last week to serve as minority vice chair of the
House Committee on Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use and Environment. "I
remain confident that by working together, we can still ensure that the peace &
tranquility of Michigan's outdoor treasures - our rivers, forests, lakes and
streams - are preserved for the enjoyment of future generations."
Gillard, a third-generation Alpena attorney, said he would offer to assist the
Anglers of the Au Sable and other conservation organizations in a likely
appeal of the Forest Service decision.
Marvin Roberson,
forest policy specialist with the Sierra Club's Michigan chapter, told
the Detroit Free Press that the group expects to appeal the ruling
within 90 days, probably in tandem with the Anglers of the Au Sable. It will be
the last option short of a lawsuit before Savoy is allowed to drill. Savoy
owns the federal mineral leases on several properties in and around the Mason
Tract. The firm obtained a permit from the DEQ in 2003 to construct an
11,000-foot exploratory well in the Huron Manistee National Forest and
then 'slant' drill to search for gas deposits under the Mason Tract, a
5,300-acre wilderness of state-owned forest near Grayling. The
federal ruling was the final regulatory hurdle for Savoy, which plans to build
at least three gas wells near the Mason Tract if results from exploratory tests
are positive. The lifespan of such wells is estimated to be from 20-25 years. "The
granting of these permits be federal regulators makes consideration of my Mason
Tract Protection Plan legislation even more urgent," Gillard said.
"Michigan's environment and its economy go hand-in-hand. This plan strikes a
balance between protection public recreation and private property rights," he
added. "We may not be able to stop drilling for gas in some of our state's most
pristine natural areas, but we can ensure it proceeds without permanent
destruction." While many individual communities across the United States have imposed industrial noise abatement standards, Gillard's bills would make Michigan the first in the nation to enforce a uniform noise abatement code on a statewide basis. |
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