Residents voice concerns over drilling near Rulison blast site

Western Garfield County residents have voiced their concerns regarding oil and gas drilling in close proximity to the so-called "Rulison Test Site" near Battlement Mesa.

A group of concerned citizens, with the support of the Grand Valley Citizen's Alliance, represented by Gunnison lawyer Luke Danielson, sent a letter to oil and gas companies requesting they "exercise caution" when drilling around the 40-acre site.

According to the press release from Danielson's office, the area in question "involved detonation of an atomic bomb underground in 1969, to see if it could stimulate gas production from so-called 'tight formations'." However, the gas that was freed at the time carried significant radioactivity.

Danielson states in the press release that contamination of local water supplies and of the gas cultivated from the wells is the main concern of area residents and that further studies need to be done in order to ensure the safety and health of local citizens.

Robert E. Moran, Ph.D., of Michael Moran Associates LLC in Golden, is a hydrogeologist and geochemist who researched past studies conducted on the area since the blast and wrote an evaluation of his findings. His research revealed that all of the most recent studies have been done by gas companies and that none have been done by independent groups.

"I just researched the available studies," Moran said. "We are putting together more than 30 years of work and found that all the recent information was coming from the gas industries."

The point of the letter, according to Moran, is for the citizens to start a discussion on the best possible way to proceed for gas development in a safe manner. And that if the Rulison test area is still contaminated, drilling should not be permitted within a safe perimeter.

"We just want some independent studies done," Moran said. "None of us are saying that we know what the actual situation is."

However, it's those unanswered questions that the residents would like answered before more drilling continues near the old site.

Moran concluded in his report that "the magnitude of what could go wrong is considerable and future problems could be practically irreversible."

They are now awaiting responses to the letter from the oil and gas companies.

Source : www.glenwoodindependent.com