It's official - You saved the Hoback!
Scott Bosse, Director, Northern Rockies
January 2, 2013 | Fracking, Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
Hoback River, WY | Scott Bosse
Three months ago, we announced a tentative deal to spare western Wyoming’s Hoback River from industrial scale gas drilling – if we could raise $8.75 million to buy out a Texas energy company’s oil and gas leases by the end of the year.
It was an awfully steep mountain to climb in a very short period of time. To be honest, I didn’t know if we’d make it.
Fortunately, hundreds of you stepped up when we asked for your help, and today I’m happy to announce that American Rivers and our amazing conservation partners met our fundraising goal just in the nick of time. That means The Trust for Public Land will complete the purchase of Plains Exploration & Production Company’s (PXP’s) 58,000 acres of gas leases and retire them for good, leaving the headwaters of the Hoback River in their pristine condition for anglers, paddlers, hunters and hikers to enjoy forever.
Thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you.
While this will certainly go down as one the greatest victories in the 27-year history of our America’s Most Endangered Rivers® report (the Hoback appeared in our report in 2011 and 2012), buying back energy leases on public lands is not a model we look forward to replicating in other parts of the country.
In the case of the Hoback, we had a unique situation where the gas leases had already been sold, the drilling was proposed at the headwaters of a federally protected Wild & Scenic river, and the local economy is fueled by outdoor recreation. Had PXP proposed gas drilling at the headwaters of a no-name river where the local economy was dependent on mining or energy development, the outcome might not have been so rosy.
The most important lesson that we, and hopefully the Forest Service, learned from this escapade is that the time to stop oil and gas drilling on ecologically sensitive and recreationally valuable public lands is during the forest planning process, before any leases are granted. Once an energy company holds a valid lease, they can hold our public lands hostage and force conservationists and taxpayers to come up with huge sums of money to buy them back.
That’s why American Rivers plans to remain engaged in conservation efforts in the Wyoming Range. For just south of the Hoback headwaters in the Upper Green River drainage, there are another 44,700 acres of contested gas leases that the Forest Services granted without proper environmental review. Rather than trying to buy back those leases for millions of dollars, we’ll be leaning hard on the Forest Service to withdraw them.
But that’s a battle for another day.
Today, we raise our glasses to you for helping us keep one of Wyoming’s most spectacular rivers wild and free.
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
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Hoback River
Scott Bosse
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Don't Frack the Hoback
JH Underground
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Cutthroat Trout
Pat Clayton
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Catching a Cutthroat Trout
Scott Bosse
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Elk Cow and Calf on Hoback River
Scott Bosse
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Comments List
Submitted by Tony Seal at: January 24, 2013
I would just like to challenge the folks here to view the documentary "Fracknation". I think it is only fair to hear both sides of an argument. Trust me, 6mos ago I was convinced that hydrofracturing was of the devil. Now I am not so sure. And by the way it has been utilized since the 1940's.
Submitted by Gerry Schuth at: January 15, 2013
Though I will probably never visit the Hoback, my congratulations on another save. Your comments continue to highlight the lack of communications or mission among the Forest Service, EPA, BLM and Dept of Interior. I would like to see a government organization which has a focus on flora/fauna/water/air quality and protection for posterity.
Submitted by Valerie Hoegler at: January 12, 2013
I applaude your efforts regarding the Hoback River! I am a Girl Scout Leader and have a girl going for her Gold Award regarding saving our rivers and keeping our waters from becoming polluted. Anyone with tips or hints for her research? Thank you in advance! I have bookmarked this page for future reference.
Submitted by Larry Weatherly at: January 7, 2013
A simple question with a singular and obvious answer. In all of time; past, present and future what is more important, oil or water?
Submitted by Richard D. Smith at: January 3, 2013
This achievement brings tears to my eyes and restores much needed hope for more in the future. I am a Wyoming native who moved to Houston for the manned space program but never cease to miss this part of the world - - - - Have a photograph of Hoback Canyon hung on the wall of our bedroom with hopes I can take my grandson there before I go to the other side of the rainbow. My greatest appreciation for your accomplishment
Submitted by Prescott Brownell, Sr. at: January 3, 2013
Hello y'all...I've been working with USFWS and NOAA since 1971, and am very excited about potentially working with American Rivers, after government retirement in 2013 soon.
Submitted by Teresa Bessette at: January 3, 2013
Words cannot express my thanks. I would like to get involved.
Submitted by Russell Bessette at: January 2, 2013
So glad to see this, it has been such a privilege to be able to canoe the Hoback over the years. What a fantastic resource this is for people. Thank you.
Submitted by Tiger Wiese Jones at: January 2, 2013
Thank you so much for the work that you do!!!
Submitted by Nila Ouska at: January 2, 2013
Maybe US citizens are getting wiser about what's really important! Once a pristine wild area is polluted, there's no going back.
Submitted by Evelyn Regan at: January 2, 2013
Hopefully we will keep our rivers clean which will benefit our wild life and all of us.
Submitted by christin anderson at: January 2, 2013
Nice work to all. Keep up the fight against the worst technology for extraction ever invented. Christin Anderson
Submitted by WILLIAM ROBERTS at: January 2, 2013
A river is a not a thing to waste through greed and irresponsible drilling, or to leave as a legacy for our children.
Submitted by Terry Mulroney at: January 2, 2013
Every river is important for a healthy earth.
Submitted by Grace Adams at: January 2, 2013
Great news that those in favor of keeping the Hoback clean managed to buy up all the fossil fuel leases along it so now fossil fuel firms will have no claim to extract fossil fuel from along it.
Submitted by janet heinle at: January 2, 2013
PROTECT OUR WATERS