The steady westward progression of coal-bed methane development collided with long-standing wildlife regulations in the spring of 2007. Surface occupancy restrictions to protect nesting raptors and strutting sage grouse now impose a significant lull in drilling activity from March 1 until June 15.

In addition to those seasonal stipulations, a new restriction was implemented this summer all but banning coal-bed methane construction activity from about 1 million acres of sage grouse "core areas" in the Powder River Basin while the Bureau of Land Management conducts a two-year amendment of its resource management plan.

Yet federal land managers in the BLM's Buffalo field office say they're still under guidance from their Washington, D.C., headquarters to meet the same annual permitting level of 3,000 wells - a D.C.-prescribed target that has been in place for more than three years.

"The emphasis for permitting came from the highest levels of BLM and the Department of Interior. During the last three years the (Buffalo field office) was visited by the secretary of Interior, assistant secretary of Interior, BLM director, BLM associate director for minerals and various other officials," Larry Gerard stated in written comments to the BLM this summer.

Gerard worked as a wildlife biologist in the BLM Buffalo field office for more than 30 years. He retired in May.

BLM Buffalo field office manager Chris Hanson insists that 3,000 wells per year is a target and not a mandate. Managing for all resources is still priority. Yet Hanson also said the BLM will shift personnel among Wyoming offices so it can manage the two-year revision of its resource management plan in the basin and still aim for the 3,000-wells-per-year permitting level.

Gerard said he believes the emphasis to maintain full-scale development of coal-bed methane in the Powder River Basin sacrifices some key wildlife habitat left outside of the state's 1 million acres of identified core areas here.

In his comments to the BLM, Gerard noted that the Car Draw 3 plan of development - a series of proposed coal-bed methane wells in northwest Campbell County - includes four or five known sage grouse leks, but was left out of the core protection areas for sage grouse.

"I believe BLM's permitting decisions in the CD3 POD are compromising BLM's options for protecting viable sage-grouse and elk habitat in the Powder River Basin," Gerard wrote.

In a phone interview with the Star-Tribune, Gerard said he believes wildlife habitat is being protected in certain areas, but overall, habitat in the basin is being squeezed.

"The concept behind the core areas is sound, and it will help from eliminating sage grouse altogether," Gerard said. "But it's not protecting all the birds that are out there. Some will be eliminated."

BLM Buffalo field office associate manager Paul Beels noted that high-quality wildlife habitats outside the core areas map are not left to unfettered development.

"We're still managing those high-quality sage grouse areas as prescribed in the (Powder River Basin oil and gas environmental impact statement," Beels said. "It's not like we're not protecting those areas."

In fact, Beels said, the BLM chose to maintain a tight focus on a "polygon" of known sage grouse habitat in the northwest portion of the basin that the state did not include in its core areas map.

"It's a link to the Montana sage grouse population, that's why we look at it as a focus area," Beels said.

Hanson said the BLM Buffalo field office is working closely with coal-bed methane companies to minimize the "seasonal" impact. However, wildlife issues may only become more significant given the landscape where the development is moving. The westward progression pushes rigs into more rugged terrain with sensitive, erosive soils and delicate forage.

"They are in more difficult areas with more wildlife issues," Hanson said.