CBM Power Politics / Wyoming Media Grok

Ag Wins, Loses In CBM Water Debate

By Brodie Farquhar, 10-19-06

It is always interesting to watch the dominant political powers at work in Wyoming. Ag and Energy, which are often cozy allies, were pointedly at odds yesterday during a Water & Waste Advisory Board meeting. Ag and Energy came away with significant and conflicting wins.

Ag (and particularly the beleagured ranchers in Powder River Basin country) won a point when the board endorsed protection of naturally-irrigated bottomlands from damages caused by saline waters produced by coal-bed methane production. The energy industry scored when the board endorsed recommendations of an industry-backed soils engineer, to dramatically raise state standards on CBM water salinity -- measured in electrical conductivity (EC) and the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). This would make it much easier for CBM producers to meet state requirements to protect Wyoming's waters and soils from being damaged by salinity that can inhibit plant growth and make soils impermiable to water.

At issue is whether the science embraced by industry and the board, can withstand peer review or countervailing research that says such high EC/SAR threshholds will permanently damage Wyoming soils. I've just heard from some Wyoming and Montana academic researchers who have serious concerns along these lines, so stay tuned.

Elsewhere in Wyoming media, Riverton geared up for a crow invasion that never arrived; Fremont County bans nighttime ATV activity on a popular trail; and Wyoming sites make a "Too Wild To Drill" list.

There's also a new poll out, commissioned by the Casper Star Tribune, which says the majority of Wyomingites are more than ready for a smoking ban in public places. I'll readily acknowledge my bias here: my wife and I are orphans and my kids have no grandparents because tobacco addiction and second-hand smoke played major roles in killing our parents and grandparents.

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