Coal bed methane fires up our community

Opinion by Jennifer McGill

If you're the kind of person that pays attention to the media issues of the day, you can't help but have noticed that energy policy is playing a huge role in world events these days. The United States even went to war over it, our fine president and governor want to sacrifice the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for it, and the federal government continues to issue sweeping exemptions to the oil companies operating in Cook Inlet, allowing them to dump large amounts of drilling waste into Alaska's waters and giving the companies little slaps on the wrist when they violate already lax permits again and again.

"Yeah, yeah," you say, "but I live here in Chickaloon, where it's unspoiled and beautiful."

Well, the energy debate has finally come home to roost here in Chickaloon. The state of Alaska has recently issued leases on large tracts of land in our home for coal bed methane (sometimes also called shallow natural gas) development, and even more leases are in the works. One of the stated goals of the state and federal governments is to "streamline" the leasing and permitting process to allow faster development of these resources. Meanwhile, the community is struggling to understand the possible implications. Luckily, the Chickaloon Village Environmental Protection Program applied for and received a grant from the Administration for Native Americans that will allow us to develop some mechanisms to assist the tribe in dealing with this and other issues that could significantly impact Chickaloon's tribal lands.

Coal bed methane is being touted as a clean source of energy, however, there are some important facts that every community member should know before you make your decision on where you stand on this issue.

Coal bed methane drilling is a process in which methane gas is extracted from coal beds deep underground. You know this gas, it's the stuff that causes those horrible mine explosions that you see in movies. This gas is held in the coal deposits by groundwater. When the level of the groundwater in the aquifer is higher than the coal seam, the gas remains bound to the coal and cannot be released. Drilling operations release the gas by sucking huge amounts of water out of the ground. One document I found stated an average of 12,000 gallons per day per well.

In Alaska, coal bed methane drilling operations currently permitted in the Houston area will be trucking this water to a different location, where it will be injected back into the ground. Implications of this activity on local drinking water supplies is unknown, but in the Lower 48 where this activity has a longer history, there are stories of long-productive drinking water wells suddenly drying up.

Another thing to consider is that drilling operations also use the technique of hydraulic fracturing. This activity injects substances into the ground to crack the coal seams and hold them open. These operations sometimes use toxic substances such as diesel fuel as a component of the fracturing fluids.

Also know this. Once the aquifer is drained of its water and the gas is flowing up the well, gas is also free to follow any other route possible to reach the ground surface. This includes natural fissures in the ground, as well as other routes -- like nearby residents' drinking water wells. Be careful lighting that morning cigarette with your cup of coffee!

Land law in the western United States adds another interesting piece to the puzzle. Through various laws passed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the surface and subsurface rights to land ownership have been split on many properties. What this means to you is that there might be a gas lease right under your property and you wouldn't even know it. Also, subsurface or mineral rights take precedence over surface rights. This means that a lease owner might try to work things out with you, but ultimately has the right to drill on your property, like it or not.

So, do your homework and keep yourself informed on this issue. It may come to your back yard when you least expect it! If you would like more information, the Sutton Community Council is having a meeting Monday at the Sutton Elementary School. Representatives of the state Department of Natural Resources will be there to answer questions. You can also call the Chickaloon Village Environmental Protection Program at 745-0742 for more information.

There will be ongoing community meetings regarding this very important issue. If you want to do a little research of your own, visit the state of Alaska, Division of Oil and Gas Web site. Get involved!

Jennifer McGill is the wetlands director for Chickaloon Village.