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WWAB Update
Due to the extremely significant impact landowners and livestock producers had on this Ag Use Policy process, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) told the Water and Waste Advisory Board (WWAB) that they agreed to keep in place the current livestock water quality standards for produced water from oil and gas operations.
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Regulatory Agencies
Coalbed natural gas is a highly regulated industry with permitting
and oversight from several different agencies. The Coalbed Natural Gas
Alliance has provided a listing of the regulatory agencies involved
in coalbed natural gas development complete with addresses, phone numbers
and links to their websites.
See Agencies info
Permitting
Wyoming
There is an array of regulations in place in Wyoming to oversee the
production of every phase of coalbed natural gas, with many agencies
- state and federal - involved. The WOGCC regulates the placement of
wells and have their set of permits. Since water is produced and must
be dealt with, it needs its own collection of permits from Wyoming's
Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ). If the CBNG is on federal
land, the BLM issues permits for drilling. In addition, the Wyoming
State Engineer's office (SEO), Army Corps of Engineers and more are
involved in the process of producing coalbed natural gas. LEARN
MORE
Montana
Montana, as in Wyoming, there is a variety of regulations in place to
oversee all phases of CBNG production with many state and federal agencies
involved. The Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (MBOGC) regulates
the placement of wells with their own set of permits and issues permits
for the pits or impoundments where CBNG water is discharged. If that
produced water is to be utilized for irrigation, stock water, industrial
use, etc., a beneficial use permit from the Montana Department of Natural
Resources is required. If the CBNG-produced water is to be discharged
into waters of the state, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit is required from Montana Department of Environmental
Quality. Montana has recently adopted numeric standards for sodium and
salinity for the Tongue River, Powder River and Rosebud Creek.
In addition, the Montana Department of Natural Resources,
Army Corps of Engineers and more are involved in the process of producing
coalbed natural gas.
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Water
Most water that is produced from a coalbed natural
gas well is discharged into drainages including ponds, reservoirs or
stock tanks. Surface owner agreements generally include the subject
of discharge water and its uses. Coalbed natural gas water in its unaltered
state usually meets or exceeds the Wyoming and Montana Department of
Environmental Quality's surface water quality standards. The Federal
Safe Drinking Water Act and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance
is the basis for determining Wyoming and Montana's water quality standards
where drinking water is protected. The Clean Water Act and EPA guidance
determine Wyoming and Montana's other standards for protection of other
uses of surface water including aquatic life, agriculture, irrigation
and recreation.
In Wyoming, since every coalbed
natural gas well must be permitted as both a gas well and a water well,
the operator must obtain permits from the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation
Commission (WOGCC) or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the State
Engineer's Office (SEO). Water discharges are permitted with the Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ).
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Habitat
The coalbed natural gas industry understands
the importance of wildlife both to the economy and the "sense of
place" in the Powder River Basin. Operators have been active in
finding ways to mitigate their impact, as well as working with wildlife
groups, including Wyoming Game and Fish and Montana Department of Fish,
Wildlife and Parks personnel, to enhance habitat.
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Air Quality
Emissions from compressors, venting of gas and
dust are all air quality issues being dealt with by coalbed natural
gas producers. Regulations exist to safeguard the air.
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EIS
The Powder River Basin Oil and Gas Environmental
Impact Statement and the Montana Statewide Oil and Gas Environmental
Impact Statement from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other
state agencies are good examples of commendable government responsibility
and accountability. During the EIS process, the BLM offered the public
a prospective look at major energy development on federal, state and
private lands, as required by law, in the Powder River Basin of northeast
Wyoming and southeast Montana. They have provided the scope of the project,
have analyzed the foreseeable impacts and have responded to public comment
about their work.
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