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August 15, 2005
Planners push back pipeline
Telluride Area's Greatest Concerns...
A proposed natural gas gathering pipeline has made unusual allies of EnCAna Oil and Gas and San Miguel County officials.
County officials, as well as agencies like the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Forest service and the Bureau of Land Management, have long desired to move County Road U29 away from the Gunnison sage grouse lek it traverses, to help protect the rapidly diminishing species. EnCana has proposed realigning the road, and building a pipeline along the new road to gather gas and transport it to the company's Andy's Mesa Gas Plant.
County Planning Director Mike Rozycki called the relocation of a section of U29 "the most obvious mitigation measure" for the grouse.
"This would be a new alignment," said Rozycki. "A good portion of the pipeline does traverse Gunnison sage grouse habitat."
The county planning commission put off making a decision on the pipeline, until the board receives the final environmental assessment by the BLM. The commission also suggested that giving EnCana more time on the application would allow the company to enlist cooperation in rebuilding the road, which also serves a rock quarry, another gas driling company and perhaps residences.
"We'd be willing to work with all the parties involves," said Jevin Croteau, a regulatory analyst for EnCana. The other gas company, Cabot, will likely tie into the pipeline, he said.
The realignment would cross the provate land of Norwood rancher Raymond Snyder, who is negotiating with EnCana for remuneration for the easement.
EnCana proposed beginning construction on the pipeline once its Wild Steer 27-41 in Montrose County well proves productive. The pipeline would take gas from Montrose County and the Hamm Canyon well area in San Miguel County and process it at the Andy's Mesa plant. The pipeline would run about 14.7 miles long, with approximately 70 percent of the line alongside existing roads or existing pipeline. One to three miles of the line would be in Montrose County.
"We used existing disturbance" in planning the pipeline path, said Croteau.
Croteau said that EnCana didn't object to extending the timeline, as the conpany still needs to determine the productivity of the Wild Steer well before deciding to go forward with the road relocation and pipeline.
Oak Smith, chairman of the planning commission, said that although the county shares the hope of relocating the road, they also want to make sure that the road is built at or above county standards. The existing U29 road was impassable during last week's rain, effectively canceling the site visit by the commission to evaluate the pipeline proposal.
"The county wants to cooperate," said Smith. "We also have concerns about the road."
By D. Dion
Posted by Adam at August 15, 2005 02:46 PM