Bonnie Martinell
I wrote in August about an effort by Belfry-area landowners to create a special zoning district aimed at lessening the impacts of nearby oil and gas development.
Today, the Carbon County Commission approved creation of a such a zone. That’s according to the Northern Plains Resource Council. I didn’t have time to attend the meeting nor to do the legwork necessary to produce my own story, so I will merely relay the news contained in the following unedited press release from the NPRC:
The Carbon County Commissioners gave the go ahead today to create a citizen-initiated zone to protect landowners from unchecked oil and gas development. Commissioners found that the zone is “in the public interest and convenience for public health, safety and welfare, and for public infrastructure.”
“We’re very excited to move forward on this process,” said Bonnie Martinell, a Belfry organic farmer and member of the Carbon County Resource Council. “We’ll continue to work with commissioners so that this is done right and done well.”
The “Silvertip” zone covers more than 2,000 acres north of Belfry. It creates basic landowner protections for air, water, and land, setback requirements, and gives landowners a voice in the type of oil and gas development on their property.
“We just want them to drill to industry standards and best practices,” said Martinell.
Local citizens and the Carbon County Resource Council were spurred to action a year ago when Energy Corporation of America (ECA) announced it would drill along the Beartooth Front. The Hunt Creek well was drilled last summer near Belfry, and ECA announced to landowners and the Board of Oil and Gas Conservation that it was ready to begin horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” However, oil prices plummeted and ECA has since announced it would not pursue further development of the Hunt Creek well.
Martinell said the zone still is necessary to protect landowners when oil and gas development picks up again.
The County will publish an intent to create the district, which gives any landowners within the “Silvertip” zone until Jan. 15 to protest to the commissioners. About 68 percent of the landowners, 13 of 19, within the zone signed the petition to create the Silvertip zone.
Carbon County Resource Council advocates for responsible use of resources and protection of their unique quality of life. It is an affiliate of Northern Plains Resource Council, a conservation and family agriculture group, based in Billings.
Here’s the ECA’s letter to the Carbon County Commission.
