Bethesda, MD The Wildlife Society (TWS) today released a new position statement titled "Oil and Gas Development in the Rocky Mountain West."

While the oil and gas development boom in Colorado, Wyoming, and Alberta, Canada from the late-1970's through the mid-1980's sparked concerns about its potential impacts on wildlife, experience and scientific studies regarding the current boom which began in the mid-1990’s (largely gas development), have shown that the current approach to reducing impacts is inadequate for the sustained conservation of wildlife resources.

"In 1989, there were few existing studies capable of determining the effects of oil and gas development on wildlife, so any measures adopted at that time were based on best professional guesses and anecdotal evidence," stated Dr. Michael Hutchins, executive director/CEO of TWS. "Today, the intensity of these developments and others underway in five U.S. Rocky Mountain states, along with the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, are transforming not only biological systems, but the communities and lives of people who live and/or travel there for recreation."

TWS' experts are concerned not only about the lack of data that exist to enable land and wildlife managers to make informed decisions, but also the rapid rate at which lands may be converted to oil and gas development use. "Energy development is clearly poised to have a powerful impact on wildlife in the Rocky Mountains and associated sagebrush habitats. In some areas, 90% of federal lands are leased and available for immediate development," continued Hutchins. "Current policy is pressuring federal agencies to expedite oil and gas leasing and development. This has greatly diminished effective planning to minimize wildlife impacts at the field development stage."

TWS develops position statements on issues of major importance to wildlife resources, based on expertise contained within TWS membership. These statements outline specific issues, along with factual background data describing the most probable biological, social, and economic results of alternative actions, and may also contain recommended courses of action.

With regard to oil and gas resource development in the Rocky Mountain West, TWS recommends thirteen specific actions in order to reduce the threat of development to wildlife habitats and populations and to traditional uses of wildlife and their habitats, thereby creating sustainable economic benefits upon which local communities depend, including tourism, hunting, and fishing.

Included among the statements in TWS’ official position is that:

- Early and continuing cooperation between state, provincial, and federal agencies in land use planning and environmental analysis under the National Environmental and Policy Act (NEPA) should be encouraged;

- Pre-lease planning should include state/province-wide mapping efforts to identify areas of high importance to wildlife, including habitat required for populations of sensitive species to remain viable, large mammal crucial winter ranges and migration corridors, areas sustaining a high density of sage grouse leks, and those intact portions of the landscape without substantial habitat fragmentation. The mapping effort should also identify suitable areas to potentially serve as refugia for sensitive species, where drilling activities would be strictly prohibited, and to maintain functionally contiguous habitats; '

- Some unique Rocky Mountain habitats, such as native shrub ecosystems, crucial winter ranges for big game, and sage grouse reproductive habitats are difficult or impossible to replace when impacted by intensive oil and gas field development. The most effective way to mitigate oil and gas impacts is to avoid the impacts altogether, or to minimize them through planning considerations and operational management practices.

For a complete copy of "Oil and Gas Development in the Rocky Mountain West," please go to www.wildlife.org.

About The Wildlife Society TWS is a scientific and educational organization dedicated to enhancing the ability of wildlife professionals to conserve diversity, sustain productivity, and ensure the responsible use of wildlife resources for the benefit of society. TWS also is an advocate for science-based wildlife policy. For more information visit www.wildlife.org

Contact Info: CONTACT:
Laura Bies
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Website : The Wildlife Society