CORTEZ, Oct. 22, 3:21 p.m. – The Bureau of Land Management is accepting scoping comments on a proposal to drill two wildcat oil and gas wells and construct the associated access road, pipelines and well pads on public land within the boundaries of the BLM Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

Questar Exploration and Production Company has submitted two Applications for Permits to Drill (APD) east of Mockingbird Mesa in T37N, R15W, Sections 23 and 24, Montezuma County, Colorado. The Mockingbird Mesa area is known to have a high density of cultural sites.

The proposed wells are identified as the Questar Federal 10-24 and Cutthroat 16. Total disturbance is estimated at about 10-15 acres. If either well would prove capable of producing in commercial quantities, a pipeline would be constructed for transport of the product. If either or both wells are unproductive, they would be plugged, abandoned, and all surface disturbances reclaimed to BLM specifications.

About 80 percent of the monument is leased for oil and gas. Development of existing leases is allowed, subject to valid and existing rights, when those activities do not create new impacts that would interfere with proper care and management of the objects protected by the Monument Proclamation.

Written comments are requested by Nov. 30, 2007, and should be submitted to Eric G. La Price, NEPA Coordinator, Dolores Public Lands Office, 29211 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 81323.