The article, Case Study 5.2: Gas or Grouse, in summary, involves the assessment of the harmful effects of natural gas mining in Wyoming. The systemic issues raised are the economic pressures from Wyoming state administration, United State Congressional reforms, the local business groups, and the various energy industries which face opposition from federal parastatals, environmentalists, and wildlife preserves. The companies such as Questar are looking to make a profit from drilling and subsequent selling of natural gas which would otherwise be imported by the federal government at the cost of the wildlife in the area. The Wyoming state government expects an increase in revenue from such trade developments within its jurisdiction.
Wildlife has been previously valued economically by their ability to attract tourist revenue, but Chardonnet et al (2002) indicate that this value system is not comprehensive. According to Chardonnet et al (2002) wildlife can be valued by the purpose they play ecologically, their non-consumptive and consumptive usage, the social and cultural impact to surrounding communities and the nutritional value both at the present as well as viable projections. The article Case Study 5.2: Gas or Grouse, shows that wildlife is valued by their status on the endangered species ranking; the further they are from extinction, the less value the wildlife would have.
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The case study in discussion reveals that environmentalists, as well as the Bureau of Land Management, had conditionally agreed to the improved mining methods which were proposed by Questar. The problem that these industries pose on the environment was not based on land degradation but the displacement of wildlife. However, the directional drills proved to have further reduced by 40%, the amount of land that the mining industries had previously projected in their allocations. The conditions were meant to justify their continuation of the mining, the companies were to take winter breaks to allow for the animals to forage, and have specific limits to where the mining should be done.
References
Chardonnet, P., et al (2002). The Value of Wildlife: The Review Article. Rev Sci Tech, 2002 April, Volume 21 Issue 1, pages 15 -51. Retrieved on April 8, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11974626/
