VWC Newsletter - August 1996
Laurel Fork Successfully Saved from Invasion by Gas Wells
by Ernie Dickerman
The beauty, the charm of unspoiled nature, the peace and quiet, the pure inspiration of the Laurel Fork area on the George Washington National Forest in Highland County, Virginia has been successfully saved from invasion by commercial development. As of August 5, 1996 a contract was signed between Thornwood Gas Inc. ( a natural gas producing company) and eight citizen organizations plus the Southern Environmental Law Center at Charlottesville. Under this contract Thornwood Gas agrees permanently not to enter the Laurel Fork area where it holds a valid lease to drill natural gas wells and under which the eight citizen groups and Southern Environmental Law Center permanently agree not to block by legal action Thornwood Gas building a 33-mile-long gas pipeline in the Monongahela and George Washington National Forests, part of which pipeline would lie along but outside the boundary of the Laurel Fork area.
The above paragraph in simple language describes the result of the nearly three years struggle to keep the 10,000 acre, wild and wonderful Laurel Fork area like it is. In fact citizen action to keep Laurel Fork like it is has been going on for twenty-five years, primarily to keep the Forest Service from harvesting the timber, building roads, silting the streams, dispersing the wildlife by destroying its habitat. Fortunately through this quarter century the Forest Service for its own reasons has constantly refrained from developing the area, from doing any of the above things. Since the Forest Service acquired this 10,000 acre tract in 1922 it has let nature be dominant, after it had been ruthlessly and completely logged off by the private owners. During the 70-plus years since 1922 nature by its own healing process has created a new, thriving forest, has restored the several tributary streams and Laurel Fork itself to sparkling purity alive with native trout, and revived an abundant and varied wildlife.
In the latter part of 1993 word began to circulate that a company called Thornwood Gas Inc was applying to the Monongahela National Forest and the George Washington National Forest for a permit to build a natural gas pipeline which would lie on the two adjoining forests. Thornwood Gas has long owned six existing gas wells (never producing) on the Monongahela Forest; the proposed pipeline would connect these six wells to an existing commercial pipeline outside the forests, thus making it possible to sell the natural gas from the six wells. The problem from the conservationist viewpoint was that for part of its 33-mile long route the pipeline would lie along the western boundary of the Laurel Fork area, that Thornwood Gas had a valid lease within Laurel Fork, and therefore could be expected soon or later to drill gas wells on its lease in Laurel Fork. Also certain West Virginia citizen organizations objected to the pipeline as an improper intrusion on the Monongahela Forest and because ultimately it would probably lead to many new gas wells being drilled on that 42,000 acre portion of the Monongahela Forest.
It is not the purpose of this article to give a detailed account of the citizens campaign which ultimately saved Laurel Fork. Suffice it to say, in January 1994 the Monongahela and George Washington Forests jointly issued a Scoping Notice announcing Thornwood Gas' request for a pipeline permit; literally hundreds of individuals and their organizations responded to the Scoping Notice most of them unfavorably; in September 1995 the two forests issued an Environmental Assessment supporting issuance of the requested permit and seeking public comment; in late March 1996 the forests issued their formal Notice of Decision to grant the requested pipeline permit; meanwhile the citizen organizations through the services of the Southern Environmental Law Center (a private, not-for-profit law group at Charlottesville) appealed to the Regional Forester at Atlanta insisting that a full Environmental Impact Statement (not just a limited Environmental Assessment) was required, which appeal was denied.
Whereupon the Southern Environmental Law Center (hereafter S.E.L.C.) began intensive negotiations to reach an agreement under which Thornwood Gas will stay out of the Laurel Fork area permanently in exchange for which S.E.L.C. and its clients agreed not to block by legal action (i.e., not to sue) building of the pipeline. Thornwood Gas granted a legal easement to the Nature Conservancy transferring permanently the former's right under its valid lease to enter Laurel Fork to drill for gas (meaning "no surface occupancy" by Thornwood), and S.E.L.C. and its clients agreed to let Thornwood Gas drill as many as two new gas wells in West Virginia near but outside Laurel Fork. This agreement, this contract, was signed by all parties about August 5, 1996. The citizen groups signing were: West Virginia and Virginia Chapters of Sierra Club, West Virginia and Virginia Chapters of Trout Unlimited, Friends of Laurel Fork, Citizens' Task Force, The Wilderness Society, and Virginia Wilderness Committee, plus S.E.L.C.
A great victory of which we can all be fully pleased and proud has been won protecting unspoiled the natural treasure of the 10,000 acre Laurel Fork area! Too much appreciation and thanks cannot be given to the Southern Environmental Law Center of Charlottesville whose legal skill, negotiating ability, and intense persistence chiefly accomplished this victory. HALLELUJAH!
Membership
Membership in the VWC is open to anyone who believes in the need for preservation of wilderness. To join, send a copy of a recent letter supporting wilderness written to a public official, OR send $5.00 or more per year to the VWC Treasurer, address below. Thank you.The date opposite your name on the mailing label indicates when (month & year) you last made a contribution to VWC. Please check it and if the date is more than one year old, a new contribution from you will be warmly welcomed.
Officers
PRESIDENT Lynn Cameron 95 Hope St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (703) 434-1318
VICE PRES Elizabeth Murray Rt. 18, Box 27, Charlottesville, VA 22901 (804)973-6693
TREASURER Julie Simpson P.O. 11 E Monmouth, Winchester, VA 22601 (703) 662-7043
SECRETARY Charles Pierce 211 Evening Lane, Winchester, VA 22603 (703) 667-3184
by Ernie Dickerman
The beauty, the charm of unspoiled nature, the peace and quiet, the pure inspiration of the Laurel Fork area on the George Washington National Forest in Highland County, Virginia has been successfully saved from invasion by commercial development. As of August 5, 1996 a contract was signed between Thornwood Gas Inc. ( a natural gas producing company) and eight citizen organizations plus the Southern Environmental Law Center at Charlottesville. Under this contract Thornwood Gas agrees permanently not to enter the Laurel Fork area where it holds a valid lease to drill natural gas wells and under which the eight citizen groups and Southern Environmental Law Center permanently agree not to block by legal action Thornwood Gas building a 33-mile-long gas pipeline in the Monongahela and George Washington National Forests, part of which pipeline would lie along but outside the boundary of the Laurel Fork area.
The above paragraph in simple language describes the result of the nearly three years struggle to keep the 10,000 acre, wild and wonderful Laurel Fork area like it is. In fact citizen action to keep Laurel Fork like it is has been going on for twenty-five years, primarily to keep the Forest Service from harvesting the timber, building roads, silting the streams, dispersing the wildlife by destroying its habitat. Fortunately through this quarter century the Forest Service for its own reasons has constantly refrained from developing the area, from doing any of the above things. Since the Forest Service acquired this 10,000 acre tract in 1922 it has let nature be dominant, after it had been ruthlessly and completely logged off by the private owners. During the 70-plus years since 1922 nature by its own healing process has created a new, thriving forest, has restored the several tributary streams and Laurel Fork itself to sparkling purity alive with native trout, and revived an abundant and varied wildlife.
In the latter part of 1993 word began to circulate that a company called Thornwood Gas Inc was applying to the Monongahela National Forest and the George Washington National Forest for a permit to build a natural gas pipeline which would lie on the two adjoining forests. Thornwood Gas has long owned six existing gas wells (never producing) on the Monongahela Forest; the proposed pipeline would connect these six wells to an existing commercial pipeline outside the forests, thus making it possible to sell the natural gas from the six wells. The problem from the conservationist viewpoint was that for part of its 33-mile long route the pipeline would lie along the western boundary of the Laurel Fork area, that Thornwood Gas had a valid lease within Laurel Fork, and therefore could be expected soon or later to drill gas wells on its lease in Laurel Fork. Also certain West Virginia citizen organizations objected to the pipeline as an improper intrusion on the Monongahela Forest and because ultimately it would probably lead to many new gas wells being drilled on that 42,000 acre portion of the Monongahela Forest.
It is not the purpose of this article to give a detailed account of the citizens campaign which ultimately saved Laurel Fork. Suffice it to say, in January 1994 the Monongahela and George Washington Forests jointly issued a Scoping Notice announcing Thornwood Gas' request for a pipeline permit; literally hundreds of individuals and their organizations responded to the Scoping Notice most of them unfavorably; in September 1995 the two forests issued an Environmental Assessment supporting issuance of the requested permit and seeking public comment; in late March 1996 the forests issued their formal Notice of Decision to grant the requested pipeline permit; meanwhile the citizen organizations through the services of the Southern Environmental Law Center (a private, not-for-profit law group at Charlottesville) appealed to the Regional Forester at Atlanta insisting that a full Environmental Impact Statement (not just a limited Environmental Assessment) was required, which appeal was denied.
Whereupon the Southern Environmental Law Center (hereafter S.E.L.C.) began intensive negotiations to reach an agreement under which Thornwood Gas will stay out of the Laurel Fork area permanently in exchange for which S.E.L.C. and its clients agreed not to block by legal action (i.e., not to sue) building of the pipeline. Thornwood Gas granted a legal easement to the Nature Conservancy transferring permanently the former's right under its valid lease to enter Laurel Fork to drill for gas (meaning "no surface occupancy" by Thornwood), and S.E.L.C. and its clients agreed to let Thornwood Gas drill as many as two new gas wells in West Virginia near but outside Laurel Fork. This agreement, this contract, was signed by all parties about August 5, 1996. The citizen groups signing were: West Virginia and Virginia Chapters of Sierra Club, West Virginia and Virginia Chapters of Trout Unlimited, Friends of Laurel Fork, Citizens' Task Force, The Wilderness Society, and Virginia Wilderness Committee, plus S.E.L.C.
A great victory of which we can all be fully pleased and proud has been won protecting unspoiled the natural treasure of the 10,000 acre Laurel Fork area! Too much appreciation and thanks cannot be given to the Southern Environmental Law Center of Charlottesville whose legal skill, negotiating ability, and intense persistence chiefly accomplished this victory. HALLELUJAH!
Membership
Membership in the VWC is open to anyone who believes in the need for preservation of wilderness. To join, send a copy of a recent letter supporting wilderness written to a public official, OR send $5.00 or more per year to the VWC Treasurer, address below. Thank you.The date opposite your name on the mailing label indicates when (month & year) you last made a contribution to VWC. Please check it and if the date is more than one year old, a new contribution from you will be warmly welcomed.
Officers
PRESIDENT Lynn Cameron 95 Hope St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (703) 434-1318
VICE PRES Elizabeth Murray Rt. 18, Box 27, Charlottesville, VA 22901 (804)973-6693
TREASURER Julie Simpson P.O. 11 E Monmouth, Winchester, VA 22601 (703) 662-7043
SECRETARY Charles Pierce 211 Evening Lane, Winchester, VA 22603 (703) 667-3184