Drilling for gas seen as threat to rock art

Concerns about protecting archaeological treasures are pitted against hopes to develop natural gas leases in Nine Mile Canyon.

Drilling gas exploration wells could damage pictographs and other ancient treasures in the canyon and a tributary, according to the curator of archaeology at the College of Eastern Utah museum, Price.

The Bureau of Land Management's Price Field Office recently issued an initial finding that the project would cause no significant environmental impact. A final decision is pending.

BLM approval is required before the Bill Barrett Corp., Denver, can work on the seven exploration wells it wants to drill. The agency's Price office wrote an environmental assessment on the project, yet as of Sunday it had not posted the assessment on the Internet.

Elsewhere on its Internet site, the BLM Price Field Office posts this description of the region: "Nine Mile Canyon has the greatest concentration of rock art sites in the U.S.A."

Nine Mile Canyon is northeast of Wellington, Carbon County, and southwest of Myton, Duchesne County. It is actually much longer than nine miles. The BLM's listing of important archaeological sites alone covers more than 24 miles.

Indian art on the canyon walls covers three cultures — the archaic, Fremont and Ute. The earliest may be 2,000 years old.

Agency officials say they mailed copies of the assessment to 30 groups and individuals. They also posted a brief notice on the state BLM web site.

"It's a 30-day public comment period. It expires June 13," Patrick Gubbins, BLM field manager, told the Deseret News.

Gubbins wrote in a cover letter about the initial finding, "BLM has determined that no significant impacts would occur as a result of the implementation of this project and that an environmental impact statement is not required."

During a 100-day construction period, up to 2,000 trips to the site could be made by "construction crews, drill operators and supper services," says the assessment. The average would be 20 round trips daily. The BLM estimates current traffic at 126 round trips per day.

Archaeological sites are located near three of the proposed wells, the document adds.