Latest Advisory Council Report
The Pigeon River Country Advisory Council met on December 9, 2005 at the Pigeon River Country Management Unit headquarters building. Chairmen Pete Gustafson called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm after which he asked for approval of the June 10th and the September 16th minutes.
The next subject on the agenda was the concept of management update, chairman Gustafson reported that there was nothing new to report from the steering committee. He then asked representatives from each of the subcommittees to give a brief report on their progress.
None of the committees had completed their work at this time but most were making good progress and were on track for completion in January of 2006. The committee that will cover vehicle access is the only subcommittee that had not yet met, and they did not have any meeting times scheduled. The Introduction and History subcommittee had a couple of draft versions of their updates to present to the council. They were to meet at least once more to complete their task.
The proposal by Schmude Oil Incorporated to directional drill under a portion of Green Timbers was the next item addressed by the Council. The following is the information handed out to members of the council.
Proposed hydrocarbon development plan for state-owned minerals located within the Pigeon River State Forest Management Unit boundary sections 20 and 21, T32N, R02W, Corwith Township, Otsego County.
In 2003 and 2004, Dennis R. Schmude, d/b/a Schmude Oil (Schmude) drilled 6 successful vertical Antrim gas wells on privately owned surface locations in the southwestern area (five in Section 29 and one in Section 19) of the Pigeon River Country State Forest Management Boundary (PRCSF). State-owned mineral leases were required to complete the six 80-acre drilling units. In 2002 and 2003, extensive field reviews were conducted, a drainage review was completed, and recommendations were submitted. Ultimately, the necessary State oil and gas leases were approved by then Director K.L. Cool. It was determined that the development plan proposed by Schmude would have minimal negative impacts on State-owned resources and that State-owned hydrocarbons were being drained by off-set production from neighboring wells with no compensation to the State.
In January 2005, Schmude submitted additional direct oil and gas lease applications, along with a proposed development plan, to further develop State-owned minerals within the Green Timbers Non-motorized Recreational Use Area (Green Timbers) within the PRCSF. Schmude proposes to utilize five existing surface well pads currently located on privately owned surface to drill nine bottom hole locations to capture hydrocarbons underlying 800 acres of State-owned lands utilizing directional drilling technology.
As a part of Schmude’s 2003/2004 project, a Central Processing Facility (CPF) was built on privately owned lands located in the NE1/4 NW1/4 of Section 29. In addition, flowlines and pipelines were installed from the original vertical well sites to the CPF and then from the CPF to the gas sales line. The existing CPF is capable of handling an average of 600 Mcf of gas per day and are capable of handling 6,000 to 7,000 Mcf of gas per day. Therefore, little if any additional impacts will be seen to State-owned parcels within the PRCSF. No associated development activities would be permitted during raptor nesting periods, regardless of whether the related activities are on State or private property.
There was a motion made and approved to hold any decision on this matter by the council until the update of the Concept of Management as been completed.
Next wildlife habitat biologist, Brian Mastenbrook, discussed the deer population goals for 2006-2010. He also mentioned that there would be a wolf survey done again this winter in the northern lower. He says that there will be at some point in the future a wolf population in the northern lower.
The PRCSF Unit Manager Joe Jarecki reported that the Otsego County Road Commission was notified that funding to replace the bridge across the Pigeon River on the Sturgeon Valley road would be available in 2007 and 2008. There are no further details on this project at this time.
The tentative meeting dates for the council for the 2006-year are 3-17, 6-16, 9-15, 12-8.
Report by Eugene Horan, PRCA representative to the Advisory Council
File:PRAC1205.htm