White House Allows For Natural Gas Exploration In National Forest

[Placebo]

Overriding the opposition of the U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico state officials, a White House energy task force has interceded on behalf of Houston-based El Paso Corp. in its two-year effort to explore for natural gas in a remote part of a national forest next door to America's largest Boy Scout camp.

Forest Service officials discouraged efforts to drill in the Valle Vidal at least three times since the agency acquired the land in 1982, citing concerns about water pollution, wildlife and recreation if a large-scale energy project were approved.

But last week, the agency took the first step toward approving the giant energy company's proposal to tap into 40,000 acres of alpine meadows in the Carson National Forest. The agency released a report that forecast a high probability of recovering gas from the area and laid out a scenario in which 500 wells could be drilled on the forest's east side.

The Forest Service's action has sparked angry opposition from many groups and officials, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat who was U.S. secretary of Energy during the Clinton administration. Such disputes are increasingly commonplace in Rocky Mountain states as critics of Bush administration energy policies accuse the White House of repeatedly targeting some of the most cherished wild places for development.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=2&u=/latimests/20040809/ts_latimes/whitehouseintercedesforgasprojectinnationalforest

[LiberalVoice]

1. Fucking pigs!

Shit like this makes me want to explode! :puke:

[Placebo]

2. ME TOO!!!

:mad:

[Moderator]

3. The Nation

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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Thank you.


DU Moderator

[bluedog]

4. this too can be undone

they undid all Clintons policies.and thats what Kerry will do