What's Happening: Drilling for oil and gas hasn't taken place on the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming for at least two decades, and when it's happened the wells have been mostly dry. That didn't stop the Forest Service from initially attempting to use a "categorical exclusion" to expedite the drilling of an exploratory well in prime wildlife habitat 10 miles northwest of Dubois — meaning no environmental-review process. But after thousands of comments from our members and conservation allies, the Forest Service in late March decided that it will indeed conduct an environmental review before any drilling takes place. If allowed, the Scott Well #2 would be in exceptional grizzly bear and elk habitat. Worse, approval could trigger all-out drilling in the area, creating an industrial zone. On a more positive note, an additional 44,000 acres of the Wyoming Range have been proposed by the Bridger-Teton National Forest for removal from energy development. This is in addition to the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, which withdrew 1.2 million acres from oil and gas leasing in the mountain range south of Jackson. Also, under the Obama administration many other leases in Greater Yellowstone have been withdrawn, and lower natural-gas prices have led to a slowdown in activity. Energy development continues to go full throttle in the upper Green River basin of Wyoming, however.

The Issue: Perhaps no threat to the ecosystem is more pervasive than the oil and gas drilling frenzy of the past decade. Thousands of wells have turned the Jonah Field and Pinedale Anticline in Wyoming into moonscapes, with thousands more slated. Though a drop in gas prices in 2009 has slowed the mad rush, plans for drilling are in the works near Cody, Wyo., and Dillon and Big Timber, Mont. While the money has helped local economies, there has been a harsh price in terms of infrastructure, pollution and social ramifications. It has also exacted a heavy toll on such wildlife as pronghorn, mule deer, elk and sage grouse because these areas are traditional wintering grounds.

Our Mission: We are working with communities to identify areas too special to drill and push to have leases withdrawn in those places, make sure drilling is done right in appropriate places and ensure that it is done at a reasonable pace so that communities, the landscape and wildlife aren't overwhelmed.