When the National Forest System was established in 1891 through the Land Revision Act, a motivating factor was the protection from the mining industry. Now, more than 120 years down the road, the U.S. Forest Service is considering opening that very land to the oil industry for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), an invasive chemically-induced method of extracting oil from deep within the earth in America’s effort to becoming oil dependent.
In 2011, the U.S. Forest Service routinely revisited its forest plan, releasing a new version that limited hydraulic fracking on the federal land’s 1.1 million acres of Virginia’s George Washington National Forest. The rough draft set off the oil industry, which is using patriotism and the “pro job” argument to lobby for access to the park.
The blowback by the industry prompted the Forest Service to publicly indicate it would consider allowing fracking on the land. In June, the Forest Service will make its final decision — one that will stand until the forest plan is revisited in 10 to 15 years.
The U.S. Forest Service is expected to take formal action in June, a decision that would be paramount in the battle pitting industry against those seeking to protect national forests.
Southern Environmental Law Center Attorney Sarah Francisco claims the George Washington Forest is a vital asset to the people of Virginia and surrounding areas, providing drinking water to more than 4.5 million people and serving as a key source of recreation and natural beauty.
“I think the GW is really a special forest,” Francisco said in an interview with Mint Press News. “There are a lot of good reasons not to pen the forest for drilling.”
The forest is home to a stretch of America’s beloved Appalachian Trail and is a refuge for 53 federally-acknowledged endangered animal and plant species and hosts more than 2,300 miles of streams home to more than 100 species of freshwater fish and mussels. It’s a habitat for more than 200 species of birds, 60 species of mammals and 78 reptile species.
It’s also a hub for human recreation, providing a special slice of natural beauty for those living in Virginia and Washington, D.C.
“The GW (George Washington) is a really popular place for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking,” she said. “It’s unique because it’s the largest forest to the East and close to Washington, D.C., and has more roadless acres this side of the Mississippi.”
Surrounding communities have already expressed concerns about potential fracking in the forest. Ten local governments, including counties and cities, have formally submitted objections. Comments have also been filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service and Fairfax County Water Authority regarding the potential impacts fracking in the forest could have on the water supply that serves more than 4 million people.
“Bipartisan public support has been strongly in favor of not opening up the GW (George Washington Forest) to horizontal drilling: Of the more than 53,000 comments submitted during the comment period on the Forest Service’s draft plan, more than 95 percent supported the proposed restrictions,” a Southern Environmental Law Center release states.
This isn’t the first time the oil and mining industry has targeted protected national and state forests. Throughout the nation, forests are being opened up to the industry. In 2012, the federal government indicated the industry had rights to frack the land of Wayne National Forest. The Allegheny National Forest is also open to oil drilling, largely because the federal government’s ownership of the land is only so deep — the mineral rights are owned by private entities.
Study sheds light on devastating impact
The areas of the forest eyed by the industry include more than 500,000 acres — and the oil sits deep below the earth’s surface, more than 1,000 feet according to some estimates.
Fracking in the forest has potentially devastating consequences, ranging from water pollution to forest destruction.
In 2007, a natural gas well and pipeline was developed on the Fernow Experimental Forest. From 2008 to 2011, forest service soil scientist researcher Mary Beth Adams tested the impacts of hydraulic fracking fluid on that forest. Two years after the exposure, more than half the trees died, according to a report published by the U.S. Forest Service.
Water quality is also an issue. The George Washington National Forest provides drinking water for more than 4.7 million people, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center, as the forest is located in the Potomac River and James River watershed. The problem here is the easy access fracking fluid runoff has to streams near that watershed.
Francisco told Mint Press News the main concern has to do with flowback water, fluid that returns to surface after the fracking process, containing contaminants and naturally occurring compounds from underground, including salty brines. The concern here is that such wastewater will make its ways into streams that feed drinking water supplies and serve as habitats for the forests’ more than 100 species of fish.
Industry rationale vs. protection of outdoor recreation businesses
The industry isn’t focused on the environmental integrity of the forests — they’re framing their arguments under the premise of job creation and energy independence.
Mike Ward, executive director of the Virginia Petroleum Council, has been a vocal supporter of national forest drilling. Not surprisingly, Ward is also a proponent of offshore drilling. In an op-ed published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Ward partnered with Virginia Manufacturers Association CEO Brett Vassey to bring the same “pro jobs” argument to the debate.
“If the president wants to create jobs and strengthen the nation’s economy, the decision to develop America’s energy resources off the Virginia coast and elsewhere should be an easy one … The well-being of our commonwealth depends upon it,” they wrote.
Ward takes the approach of selling the industry on the domino effect theory, claiming drilling in the national forests — and offshore — will only lead to positive benefits throughout the whole nation.
“It is the potential for spin off jobs, domino effect-type of jobs — trucking, food and other jobs,” he told Daily Progress.
Yet, at what cost?
In addition to providing a main source of drinking water for humans, the protected forest also serves the economic prosperity of a region that boasts the forest as a source of tourism and recreational revenue. It’s estimated more than 1 million visitors make their way to the forest each year to fish trout, hunt, hike, mountain bike and camp. The area is also a destination for bird watchers.
Outdoor recreation consumer spending in Virginia generates more than $13 billion a year, supporting more than 130,000 jobs in the state. It fills state and local government coffers with roughly $923 million in tax revenue, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center.
The Forest Service is expected to make its decision in June when it releases its final forest plan.