WASHINGTON, DC — The Bureau of Land Management has announced that allowing the drilling of natural gas wells in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument will have insignificant environmental impact.

The agency stated that the natural gas wells should be approved, but that it would not announce its final decision until after a public comment period.

It was reported that a portion of the area specified by the agency is part of a lawsuit filed by the Montana Wilderness Association to prevent drilling.

Publication date: 01/21/2002