From www.greatfallstribune.com, "Kohlman Co. out of Billings took advantage of a 2006 federal bill aimed at protecting the Front from oil and gas development by agreeing to relinquish 22 leases on 33,411 acres south of U.S. Highway 2 in the Badger-Two Medicine area to Trout Unlimited. The conservation group announced the news Tuesday.
Since 2006, 63,374 acres have been withdrawn from oil and gas development. In that year, Congress passed legislation banning future oil and gas leasing on 400,000 acres of federal lands along the Front.
The bill extended and expanded the 1997 decision by former Lewis and Clark National Forest Supervisor Gloria Flora to withdraw 365,000 acres of federal land in the Front from new leasing activities.
The 2006 legislation offered tax incentives to companies that give existing leases to conservation groups. Kohlman was the fourth lease-holder to give up control of its leases since the legislation passed. Questar, Epperson and Alberta Clipper previously gave up plans to develop natural gas on the Front....
“When we told them the area was blanketed by existing oil and gas leases, they couldn’t believe it,” Sentz said. “It’s really a very spectacular area.”
Another time, Sentz was guiding top-level U.S. Forest Service officials to Goat Mountain, where Chevron wanted to drill at the time.
One of the officials commented, “‘Good Lord, this should have never been leased in the first place,’” Sentz said." (click here for full article)
Since 2006, 63,374 acres have been withdrawn from oil and gas development. In that year, Congress passed legislation banning future oil and gas leasing on 400,000 acres of federal lands along the Front.
The bill extended and expanded the 1997 decision by former Lewis and Clark National Forest Supervisor Gloria Flora to withdraw 365,000 acres of federal land in the Front from new leasing activities.
The 2006 legislation offered tax incentives to companies that give existing leases to conservation groups. Kohlman was the fourth lease-holder to give up control of its leases since the legislation passed. Questar, Epperson and Alberta Clipper previously gave up plans to develop natural gas on the Front....
“When we told them the area was blanketed by existing oil and gas leases, they couldn’t believe it,” Sentz said. “It’s really a very spectacular area.”
Another time, Sentz was guiding top-level U.S. Forest Service officials to Goat Mountain, where Chevron wanted to drill at the time.
One of the officials commented, “‘Good Lord, this should have never been leased in the first place,’” Sentz said." (click here for full article)
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