FW: Write the Wayne and Join Us Nov 16!
Scott, Camille
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 4:42 PM
Subject: Write the Wayne and Join Us Nov 16!
As you probably know, Wayne National Forest (WNF) has offered over 2600 acres of land along the Hocking and Sunday Creek for sale for oil and gas leases. They will be bid at auction by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on December 7, 2011, unless these parcels are withdrawn. The parcels overlie both the Utica shale and the aquifer that supplies drinking water to Nelsonville, Burr Oak Water District, LeAx, and Athens City water systems.
In unanimous decisions, Athens County Commissioners, Athens City Council and Athens Wellhead Protection Team, as well as Burr Oak Regional Water District, Ohio University, Athens City administration, and 42 other official bodies and individuals submitted formal protests to BLM and WNF. (read them at blm.gov/es/st/en/prog/minerals/protests_information.html)
It is urgent that we prevail upon the Wayne to request withdrawal of these illegally released parcels from the sale.
Contrary to its recent media statements, WNF gave consent to the BLM (letter dated May 13, 2011), which allowed the sale to proceed. This consent was illegal because the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) REQUIRES PUBLIC INPUT, due to the new development of deep-shale drilling, which will be permitted by the sale. NEPA also requires that Forest Service and BLM consider social and economic as well as environmental impacts to the region of the lease sales.
Albany, NY recently banned fracking based on business owners’ (among others’) economic concerns. Reports from Texas document land values decreasing by 75%. Supposed job increases reported by gas industry promoters have been shown to be wildly inflated and also to lack an accounting of negative impacts on public health and jobs in industries such as tourism, housing, and local business.
Needless to say, Nelsonville business owners we have talked to who did not know in time to protest formally are expressing dismay at the lack of public notice of Wayne actions with high potential to devastate their local tourism economy.
Please write to Anne Carey, Forest Supervisor: aca...@fs.fed.us
(or via snail mail to Wayne NF 13700 US 33, Nelsonville OH 45764)
and to Dr. John Lyons, BLM Eastern States Office, State Director, jl...@blm.gov.
Please also send us a copy or let us know that you sent one at RightT...@gmail.com so we can keep a tally.
Attached is a sample letter which you can personalize at the end.
And join us to deliver our letters on Wed. afternoon, November 16, of virtual and hard copy letters. We’ll caravan from the Athens farmers market at 1:15 or meet us at Wayne headquarters by 2:00. We look forward to seeing you there. Please spread the word!