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BACA GRANDE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Administrative Office 719.256.4171 Fax 719.256.4173 Firehouse 256-4781
EMERGENCY DIAL 911
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
ATTN: Michael Blenden
9383 El Rancho Lane
Alamosa, Colorado 81101
March 3, 2008
Dear Mike,
This is a response to the EA for the proposed drilling on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge. In the EA, under Emergency Services in section 3.10.7, it states that there are approximately 56 fire fighters in three departments. What it does not say is that some of these fire fighters are the same individuals, and any of them may be away from the area in any given period of time. Also, most of these fire fighters have little to no experience with drill rig fires and hazardous material spills.
This section of the EA also states that a water system in nearby Crestone would increase the preparedness to deal with fire emergencies. This is true if the fire is in or near Crestone. We feel that this new water system does not make significant contributions to the suppression of fire on the Refuge.
There seems to be little if any recognition of the hazard due to wildfire that the proposed drilling activities could have on the adjoining lands. A wildfire that started on the Refuge could easily build to a dangerous fire front, endangering the lives of the inhabitants of the Crestone/Baca area.
There is no adequate fire management plan in place for the Refuge at this time. The Refuge relies solely on mutual aid from other fire agencies to respond to its fires. While we gladly embrace the mutual aid agreement with the US Fish & Wildlife Service, we have no such agreement with Lexam nor has Lexam ever approached our fire department for such an agreement. While the local fire departments are under no obligation to respond, in order to protect their respective areas from encroaching fire they have no choice but to respond to this threat. Who is responsible to respond to Lexam’s incidents?
Currently, wildfire hazards on the Refuge remain unmitigated, and our local fire departments have to absorb the costs of preparedness and response to fire emergencies. This situation is not congruent with maintaining the priorities of life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation that our local fire departments strive to uphold.
To add more hazards, such as the proposed drilling activities, to this current situation, without proper planning and hazard mitigation, is irresponsible and blatantly puts the inhabitants of the Crestone/Baca area at increased and unnecessary risk.
This EA has made a claim of no significant impact without any baseline data from which to make such a statement. It is our sincere request that an EIS is commenced immediately in order to address our concerns and the concerns of our communities.
Sincerely,
Peter May Mark Jacobi
Chief Deputy Chief