CURED: Citizens work to improve air, water quality

by Tiffany Turner

For local residents worried about the impacts and effects of the energy industry in Sublette County a new citizen’s group is working to keep an eye on the growth and drilling and ensure it is done as harmlessly to the population as possible.

The new group, CURED (Citizens United for Responsible Energy Development), met with the county commissioners at their Tuesday meeting to introduce themselves and address the commission about the recent air toxics study and airmonitoring project currently building several stations.

According to Mary Lynn Worl, a board member of the nonprofit group, the main mission is to keep tabs on the air and water quality in the county as energy development continues.

“We are just a group of concerned citizens,” Worl said. “We’re not against industry and drilling; we just want it to be done responsibly.”

Worl asked the county to hold a public forum for those interested, and others with the scientific knowledge of the issues, to question the contractors and people conducting the study.

There is a range of questions about the study and the project, Worl said, from very scientific in nature to residents’ general questions about what the study and its results means for them.

“We’re urging you to have some experts field questions,” Worl said.

Commission Chairman Bill Cramer explained to Worl the county had just entered into a contract with Air Resources, Inc., and no information was currently tabulated.

“I guess the thing for you to do is be aware and stay tuned,” Cramer said. “At this point we are waiting for the data to come in.”

Commissioner John Linn agreed, adding the county is very comfortable with the project they are undertaking and what it consists of as far as the different chemicals and compounds being recorded.

The commission agreed when the monitoring results were available, they would hold a public meeting to discuss the findings. Until then, they told Worl, the contract between them and Air Resources is public record and the scope of work, while very technical, would explain what is being undertaken in the county’s project.

The county added DEQ officials are scheduled to meet with the commission in January to discuss their regional project and delve further into the possibility of collaboration between the several monitoring projects being undertaken.

“We need to get a bigger handle on these air issues,” Linn said.