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December 18, 2005
Both victory, defeat were claimed for this natural area in 2005GRAYLING - Environmental groups witnessed failure and triumph in 2005 in efforts to prevent a proposed natural gas well near the Mason Tract in Crawford County.The appeals of advocacy groups and about 670 comment letters from citizens - a majority opposed to the project - failed in May to convince the U.S. Forest Service to not allow a wellhead near the wilderness area and the South Branch of the Au Sable River, a state-designated "natural river." Officials instead reaffirmed a permit the agency issued in February to Savoy Exploration of Traverse City for an exploratory well. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved the project in August. The proposed well would be about three-tenths of a mile from the 5,300-acre preserve and less than a mile from the river. Savoy wants a well on adjacent federal land to slant drill beneath the Mason Tract. Additional wells, a pipeline and production facility may be installed if the site is productive. Anglers of the Au Sable and the Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club filed a federal lawsuit in June to block the drilling, contending a faulty environmental assessment was done and alternatives were not properly studied. Federal officials contend the project will not significantly harm the environment. Judge David M. Lawson of U.S. District Court in Bay City issued an injunction on Dec. 7 to halt clear-cutting of 3.5 acres for a drilling platform and access road until the lawsuit is settled. Lawson said not only is there substantial question whether the government's environmental assessment was "arbitrary and capricious," but also "it is difficult to assess whether the Forest Service acted in good faith" in considering other options to the proposed well. Lawson cited declarations by forestry professor Burton Barnes at the University of Michigan and Charles Guenther, retired wildlife chief for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The experts raised questions about loss of old growth hardwoods, soil erosion into the river, destruction to habitat of the endangered Kirtland's warbler and disruption to recreation at the Mason Tract, popular for fishing, hiking and cross-country skiing. "I definitely feel that we are more likely to win than to lose," said plaintiff attorney Marianne Dugan. The U.S. Department of Justice represents the federal agencies. Spokeswoman Cynthia Magnuson said the department had not yet decided whether to appeal Lawson's order or simply argue the case. Savoy officials declined to comment.
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