JACKSON -- Two agencies charged with protecting the environment are asking the Bureau of Land Management to do more for the Pinedale Anticline to ensure natural resources are protected in light of growing natural gas development.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality both asked the BLM to tighten the reins on development in their official comments on the Pinedale Anticline supplemental draft environmental impact statement. That document calls for a significant increase in energy activity in the area.

EPA told the BLM it had not gone far enough to identify a "range of alternatives," while the DEQ called for more requirements that gas operators protect air quality as development progresses.

Robert Roberts, EPA regional administrator, said in a 19-page letter to BLM Wyoming State Director Bob Bennett that EPA has three "primary areas" of concern: that an insufficient range of alternatives was analyzed, and harm to air quality and wildlife.

The National Environmental Policy Act requires analysis of "a range of reasonable alternatives to a proposed action," Roberts wrote. "Given the magnitude of potential impacts to the environment, EPA recommends the BLM fully analyze at least one additional alternative that considers a development plan with the same number of total wells over a longer period of time."

EPA questioned why BLM didn't analyze a "conservation alternative" and "reduced pace of development alternative" in detail.

Steven Hall, spokesman for the BLM's Cheyenne office, said his agency does not comment on such input, but said the BLM believes it has provided a range of alternatives and covered a "broad enough spectrum."

"But we can certainly take a look and make sure we provided an adequate range" of alternatives, he said.

EPA ultimately rated the document as "EO-2," meaning the agency has environmental objections and the document is insufficient and needs supplemental analysis. Other ratings are LO, a lack of objections; EC, environmental concerns; EO; and EU, meaning environmentally unsatisfactory.

It also rates documents on a scale of one to three, with a "one" meaning the level of analysis is adequate, "two" meaning more study is needed, and "three" meaning unsatisfactory analysis.

In a document released in December, the BLM is analyzing a proposal from energy companies to amend a 2000 document guiding gas development on the Pinedale Anticline. In that document, 700 wells are authorized. The new, supplemental draft document looks at two alternatives allowing up to 4,399 more wells on 12,278 new acres of disturbance, and one "no action" alternative.

The BLM's preferred alternative is a tweak of the energy companies' proposal, calling for some seasonal stipulations to protect wintering wildlife. The preferred plan calls for intense development on a 19-square-mile area that moves like a footprint through the top of the Anticline. BLM and operators contend that will allow for more reclamation more quickly, and drilling will be over within 40 years rather than 60 or more.

People around Pinedale have spoken at public meetings about the proposal overwhelmingly favoring a more paced development approach to protect natural resources.

John Corra, director of the Wyoming DEQ, wrote in his comment letter to Matt Anderson, project leader for the Pinedale document with the BLM, that more requirements and timetables are needed to adequately protect air quality.

Corra suggested the BLM require operators to develop a 10-year "rolling forecast" or development plan for annual review regarding air quality impacts.

Corra also said the BLM has analyzed air quality impacts submitted by operators, in which they said they would reduce drill rig nitrous oxide emissions by 80 percent. But operators said they would do that only if the BLM issued a final decision by mid-year 2007.

Representatives of gas companies were not available for comment Tuesday.

DEQ also called for tightening the reins on air quality impacts, saying the document could be strengthened if within one year of the final decision, operators adopted air emission strategies that "would reduce predicted visibility impacts to 2005 predicted levels." That, DEQ says, will "provide an almost immediate reduction of predicted visibility impacts from current development."

DEQ also called on the BLM to require the three companies -- Ultra, Shell and Questar -- to accelerate their proposed emission reduction scenario. Drill rig emissions should be reduced by 80 percent within three years instead of the proposed five, DEQ said.

DEQ also called on operators to submit a plan within five years that address all sources of air emissions from project activities, with a goal to have zero days of visibility impairment. Within six years, operators would develop a plan that would minimize harm to wildlife, but is also "technically and economically practical," according to the agency.

DEQ also wants the operators to fund an additional field inspector in the Jonah Interagency Office for five years, and pay $1.25 million over five years for air quality monitoring equipment. The Jonah Interagency Office, staffed by employees of several government agencies, is charged with monitoring activity on Sublette County's massive natural gas fields to help prevent unforeseen damage.

Environmental reporter Whitney Royster can be reached at (307) 734-0260 or at royster@tribcsp.com.