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The Coalbed Natural Gas Alliance
strives to provide you with the latest information and commentary on
CBNG.
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CBS MISSES THE POINT There’s more cooperation than conflict in today’s coalbed natural gas development, according to ranchers, landowners and energy experts. The Coalbed Natural Gas Alliance said Wednesday’s 60 Minutes story about coalbed development in Wyoming failed to provide a balanced perspective about the progress being made to meet today’s domestic energy needs in a responsible manner. “The fact is the wide majority of working relationships between landowners and energy developers are based on mutual respect and exceptional cooperation,” said Karen Brown, coordinator for the Alliance. “By focusing on just a few examples and portraying the minority opinion as a majority, CBS unfortunately missed the point and failed to provide their viewers with a complete story.” The mission of the Alliance is to support responsible energy development by providing education and accurate information about coalbed natural gas. Its members include energy providers, businesses, ranchers, farmers and citizens throughout Montana and Wyoming. Story Contradicts Recent Research Viewers of the show may have incorrectly drawn the conclusion that coalbed natural gas development was not being conducted in a responsible manner, that developers were not negotiating in good-faith with landowners and ranchers, and that the environment in the region had suffered greatly from development. “This is simply not the case,” said Jerry Geer, a Wyoming native and landowner who has had coalbed development on his property in Gillette for the last four years. “I’ve worked with energy developers for years and I can tell you they’re committed to doing the right thing.” Geer is one of 450 landowners with coalbed natural gas development on their land who participated in a September 2004 survey about their experiences. The survey found that a majority of respondents believe development, ranching and farming can coexist today and most appreciated the many benefits of development, including water, electricity, bridges and roads. Other surveys have found similar support, including a 2003 Montana Chamber of Commerce study in which 70% of respondents felt the state should encourage and promote the oil, gas and mining industries. “While our study points to some things that can be improved, overall the responses were positive,” said Brown. Show Producers Shunned Industry Experts and Landowners Show producers from 60 Minutes began contacting industry representatives and community members throughout the region last summer. The piece was originally scheduled for late fall 2004, but was delayed numerous times before airing last night. Many landowners and industry experts made themselves available to show producers to provide information about the progress and benefits they’ve personally experienced with coalbed natural gas development. Joanne Tweedy, who has lived in Gillette for three decades and has had coalbed development on her property since 1998, was interviewed. So too was Dru Brower representing the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, an organization with substantial knowledge about and experience with issues related to coalbed development. Unfortunately, producers of the show cut these interviews from the final segment and focused instead on a small minority who felt in some way wronged by energy developers. “Dan Rather himself admitted that ‘this is not an ideal story for us...(that) television has trouble with...complicated stories,’” commented Brown, referring to quotes made by the CBS anchor and reported in Gillette News-Record in August 2004. “Complicated stories get even more confusing when you leave out the majority of the people with the most experience on the issue.” Industry, Community Remain
Focused Industry experts and local landowners will continue their cooperative pursuit of developing clean, reliable domestic energy in a responsible way. In addition to safe and effective water management, energy developers remain committed to negotiating in good-faith with landowners to protect the legal rights of all involved. These and other efforts will allow communities to tap into the tremendous economic benefits generated by coalbed natural gas development. For example, in Gillette, Wyoming alone, coalbed production provides more than 900 jobs and a recent study conducted in Montana listed the potential economic benefit that could be provided by responsible coalbed development at more than $4 billion. “If you look at the whole picture, coalbed natural gas is a source of clean, reliable domestic energy, its development meets or exceeds regulations designed to protect the environment and cooperation between developers and landowners has never been better,” Brown said. “CBS missed an opportunity to promote more constructive dialogue and cooperation between everyone involved.”
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