Daily Archives: February 10, 2012

The Recently Arrived Natural Gas Industry Pushes to Limit Local Control in Idaho

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Republican member of the Washington County Board of Commissioners Rick Michael

Rick Michael, Weiser

The Moscow-Pullman Daily News 2/10/12

As a commissioner of a county that has piqued the interest of the natural gas industry, I am both hopeful about the potential economic impacts and concerned about the risks this industry’s activities pose to groundwater, property values and quality of life. For those who claim there are only two sides to this issue – for or against – I can attest that there is a middle.

Washington County’s oil and gas draft ordinance is a product of months spent researching other county ordinances across the nation, addressing public concerns and allowing for the state’s rules to get updated. The process involved our county planning and zoning office, our P&Z commission, public hearings, etc., and resulted in an ordinance that we believe protects citizens while still allowing for the development of the gas industry. Continue reading →

Idaho House Panel OKs Giving State Oversight of Gas Industry

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Idahoans unhappy with a bill allocating control over natural gas drilling and exploration compared its approach to unpopular federal mandates like health insurance and the Endangered Species Act.

Despite concerns over the loss of local control, the House Resources and Conservation Committee approved the bill 16-0 Thursday.

Still, concerns raised by Washington and Payette county residents over the lack of opportunities for the public to shape and steer drilling, exploration and production of natural gas prompted an industry attorney to commit to make changes to the legislation.

The hearing came as lawmakers look at how to regulate natural gas, which was discovered in seven of 11 wells drilled in Payette County in 2010.

Read more: Idaho House Panel OKs Giving State Oversight of Gas Industry

(By Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman)