Surface impacts generate concern

MAT-SU -- Part one of a two-part round of workshops addressing the surface impacts relating to coal-bed methane development was held Wednesday, and the next will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Cottonwood Creek Elementary School.

Surface impacts are possibly one of the areas of most concern among area residents whose land is under lease for CBM exploration or drilling. Several at the meeting were concerned that current bonding requirements for shallow-gas developers would not cover costs of damage done to their property, or that they wouldn't be able to afford to fight property damage cases in court if damage did occur. In that light, many recommended strict guidelines emphasizing landowner rights be included in any new guidelines.

"All disturbed areas are to be restored to their original state or better with native plant species to the satisfaction of the landowner," was one such recommendation.

Others recommended restricting where drillers could locate as a way to reduce property-owner impacts. Some suggested no drilling take place on lots smaller than 20 or 50 acres, while others suggested nothing less than 100 acres. The varying specifics have become typical elements at CBM meetings, and it's something Pat Galvin, with DNR's division of oil and gas, said will be worked out as DNR staff compile the suggestions into recommendations.

"What we're mainly looking at here are the ideas we need to focus on," Galvin said. "We'll need to take what's being proposed out of this group and find which meets all of the standards we need to meet."

While property owners grappled with what recommendations should be made to address soil erosion or noise issues, Friends of Mat-Su CBM Coordinator Jeff Arndt said he remains concerned that much of the information generated at the workshops is not being heard outside the Valley -- particularly in Juneau.

"That kind of worries me -- if our comments are not being forwarded now, is it going to do any good if DNR processes them and spits them back in late March or April, just before the session is over?" Arndt asked.

Arndt said his group is also concerned that the process Mat-Su residents are going through may not be used outside the Valley, forcing other communities to go through a similar arduous process.

"What we've been wanting all along is statewide regulations," Arndt said.

Galvin has previously stated that, although similarities will be sought, DNR was reluctant to make a list of regulations specifically developed to address Mat-Su concerns applicable

to other areas, which

may have unique or different concerns.

The discussion of surface impacts is also an area where DNR is looking increasingly to the Mat-Su Borough to develop ordinance that will protect property owners. Mat-Su Planning Chief Murph O'Brien and Planning Director Susan Dickinson said they will be looking at the comments submitted through the surface impact workshops and evaluating if they fit into existing borough code or if they should be incorporated into it.

"What we're looking for is feedback," O'Brien said. And, after eight hours of work on the topic wraps up Wednesday, feedback should be plentiful.

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.