American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2018 - 17

IndustryDigest
chooses to focus on the potential for
activity-enabling stipulations and
restrictions to label the report "a
template for future coordination and
consultation between DOD and DOI."
He adds, "The report identifies areas
in the Gulf of Mexico where energy
development activities can occur, and as
importantly, the very limited areas
where DOD recommends they cannot."
Luthi points out that military
operations and energy development
have coexisted in many areas of the
Gulf for years, as evidenced by the
approximately one-third of Gulf leases
that contain military training
stipulations and restrictions. "The
report concludes that, with similar
stipulations and restrictions mutually
agreed on by DOD and DOI, critical
military operations and essential
energy development can coexist and
thrive in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico as
well," he concludes.
American Petroleum Institute
Director of Upstream and Industry
Operations Erik Milito takes a similar
view, stating, "This report on the
Eastern Gulf of Mexico confirms that
continued collaboration between the
DOD and DOI will enable the
successful coexistence of continued
military training and expanded
American oil production.
"Combined with cutting-edge
technologies and best practices,
offshore exploration and development
can occur in a wider range of offshore
areas than is currently permitted, while
still supporting the needs of the U.S.
military," Milito asserts. r

Independent Petroleum Association
of America Director of Government
Relations Samantha McDonald agrees
the environmental groups are
"attempting to use the ESA to advance
an anti-hydrocarbon agenda."
CBD and the Defenders say they
filed their May 8 petition "because
thousands of acres of (lizard) habitat are
at risk from oil and gas drilling and
sand-mining projects in Texas and New
Mexico."
In June 2012, USFWS decided not to
list the dunes sagebrush lizard under the
ESA (AOGR, July 2012, pg. 31), citing
both the Texas Conservation Plan
(TCP), which it had approved in
February of that year, as well as New
Mexico conservation agreements.
However, CBD contends the TCP
has failed, citing confidentiality of
individual habitat-protection
agreements, which it says prevents
USFWS from knowing how much
habitat is being protected. The
environmental group also argues the
TCP fails to address frac sand mining.
Nevertheless, Longanecker says
TIPRO "maintains that state-led,
voluntary conservation efforts are the
best approach to conserving and

protecting this species and its habitat
while also providing the opportunity for
responsible energy development in the
Permian Basin."
Adds McDonald, "Voluntary
conservation efforts, led by the oil and
natural gas industry, have evolved in the
last decade in a way that emphasizes
measurable protections for imperiled
species and ecosystems (while
allowing) for responsible development
to coexist."
Permian Basin Petroleum
Association President Ben Shepperd,
who promises PBPA "will continue to
defend the industry from unreasonable
attacks by uncompromising
environmental groups," notes that
USFWS has 90 days from the filing
date to determine whether the CBD
petition has enough merit to proceed
with a listing proposal. If it does
proceed, the agency has one year to
decide if the dunes sagebrush lizard
warrants ESA protection.
A Texas media report cites a Texans
for Natural Gas source to report the
government has identified 200,000 acres
of dunes sagebrush habitat in Texas, of
which 300 have been disturbed by oil
and gas activity. r

Associations Blast
ESA Petition To List
Dunes Sagebrush Lizard
Industry spokesmen are blasting a
petition filed with the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service by the Center for
Biological Diversity (CBD) and
Defenders of Wildlife to list the dunes
sagebrush lizard under the Endangered
Species Act.
Texas Independent Producers &
Royalty Owners Association President
Ed Longanecker calls the petition
"another example of environmental
activist organizations working to abuse
the ESA in attempts to prevent domestic
oil and gas production."

Nearly 300 students in Buchanan County, Va., helped plant 1,500 trees on four acres in
reclamation projects as part of 2018 Energy Arbor Day. The annual event was hosted by
the Virginia Oil & Gas Association, Virginia Coal & Energy Alliance, and Virginia Department
of Mines, Minerals and Energy. VOGA says the tree-planting teaches students about the
importance of environmental protection during and after natural gas production and coal
mining. The 14th annual event was supported by CNX Resources, EnerVest Energy and
Noah Horn Well Drilling. See VOGA's official convention section beginning on Page 109.

JUNE 2018 17
American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2018

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