PRICE — Federal land managers have approved oil drilling in Nine Mile Canyon, an area west of the Tavaputs Plateau rich in archaeology, despite objections of some environmental groups.
The Bureau of Land Management field office in Price announced Friday it has approved the request of Bill Barrett Corporation, which is seeking to drill 12 vertical wells on federal lands and 10 wells on lands administered by the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration.
Approval comes at the opposition of archaeologists, rock art enthusiasts and environmentalists who sued over the project. A federal judge ruled against the plaintiffs.
"We have taken every reasonable and necessary precaution to protect cultural, archaeological and natural resources," said Patrick Gubbins, manager of the Price field office. "The proposed action will not have a significant impact on the environment when combined with the required mitigation measures for this project."
To help reduce potential visual and audible impacts to visitors in the Nine Mile Canyon area, BLM selected an alternative that approved buried gas lines in Dry Canyon and Nine Mile Canyon. Also, a compressor station at Water Canyon will be moved to an existing site in Dry Canyon.
Other requirements include buried pipelines and a 300-foot-wide corridor to serve as a buffer zone to rock art panels on the canyon walls.
Copies of the West Tavaputs Plateau Drilling Program Environmental Assessment and the decision record are available by contacting the Price field office or visiting the Web site, www.ut.blm.gov/westtavaputs/.