Houston Regional Group - News

The Houston Sierra Club (HSC) met on April 27, 2007 with the U.S. Forest Service and Famcor and Jet oil companies to discuss the proposed drilling of oil/gas wells in Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF).

Jet oil company proposes drilling in shallow sands for natural gas in Compartment 96 on a pad right behind a recently drilling Famcor oil well on SHNF and within a few hundred yards of an additional Famcor well drilled on private property.

Famcor proposes to drill deep for oil in Compartment 95, near a small stream. The HSC walked both proposed well pad locations with the District Ranger, Warren Oja, his staff, staff from the Forest Supervisor's Office, and representatives from Famcor and Jet oil.

One concern is that these locations may be in areas where the foraging habitat for the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker is insufficient. There are also concerns about the location of roads to the pads, impacts on hardwood slopes, and stream sides.

The HSC appreciates the proactive policy of District Ranger Oja in including the HSC early in the process. We will provide written comments and follow the process carefully to ensure that the forest, soil, wildlife, and water resources of SHNF are fully protected.

June 2007

Last updated:  05/03/2007.   Content © 1999-2007 by the Sierra Club.