Whether we like it or not, we are at one of the domestic energy epicenters, right now, today. Natural gas test drilling is planned for Mt. Herman Road.
I've seen people in Monument huddled over a picture studying the landscape of the area, saying to themselves, the 2 test wells are over there, they won't effect me.
Well, it is time to consider the impact if the test wells are successful. We have a close by example of what can happen, in western Colorado, east of Rifle, CO to Debeque, CO on I-70. I travel to the western slope of Colorado several times a year, its about 4 to 5 hours from Monument. What has happened there could happen here.
This is what I've seen and learned:
At night, near Parachute, CO, 10 to 20 drilling platforms are visible at any given time, industrial lighting towering over the area, 90 ft. in the air. It looks like a bunch of Eifel Towers. 18 Wheel trucks come and set up the rigs, provide the water, chemicals, drilling clays, and employees before, during and after each well is drilled, plumbed, and integrated into a collection system (natural gas piping construction). You can hear the drilling rigs as they bang/grind into the ground. The air compressors used to pressurize the pipelines are huge, two semi's in length, probably 2 to 4 semi's thick. They hum and can be heard a long way. And of course there are is the potential for water contamination/spills from the chemicals and minerals used in the drilling. Plus the residual water and oil from the gas well, that is collected in large black storage tanks and disposed of, once the well is in operation. And on top of the mesas on the western slope of Colorado,
thousands of drilling sites are under construction or planning.
What are the potential impacts to this area?
To name a few:
Mt. Herman Rd. is the only Pike National Forest access road in the Tri-Lakes area. All drilling traffic will funnel there.
Mt. Herman Trailhead, used by many to visit Monument Rock, for hiking, riding, biking, etc. is on Mt. Herman Road. It is also home to the area US Forest Service fire fighters and a major access to Pike National Forest.
Most of Monument's drinking water comes from wells in the area.
Local roads will be torn up by the added weight and traffic. A lot more trucks have to drive right through Monument. The trucks will be operating over and by the Preble Mouse habitat in Monument. They will add to the noise and congestion at the BNSF railroad crossing, where 30 to 40 trains travel every day and night, following Mitchell Road to Mt. Herman.
Drilling rigs will light up the night sky, and create even more sound pollution during operation.
Could home values be negatively impacted?
Who will pay for the road improvements, the resources consumed, the pollution abatement (sound, light, chemical/water, traffic) if the test wells prove viable?
Natural Gas drilling in the Tri-Lakes area, specifically on Mt. Herman, is a disaster in the making, not just for Monument and the Tri-Lakes, but for the entire Rampart and Front Ranges. The same natural gas containing rock strata found in western Colorado is all along the front range. If natural gas is found in sufficient quantity to justify commercialization, look out. With newer horizontal drilling technology , this natural gas field just might be viable. And by the way, very few if any of us have the mineral rights for our property so don't expect any kind of royalty. The drilling is on public land, through a 20,000 acre lease, from north of the Air Force Academy to north of Palmer lake..
Time to step up. Get active, get involved. Form or join a local group regarding natural gas drilling in the area. Right now there is a 30 day public comment period before the U. S. Forest Service. Contact the Colorado Springs office at 477-4201 to learn more, or go to FRERC.org, a local group in opposition to the drilling.
It's either now or never. If not now, when?