ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
While there is a dedicated team managing environmental issues in the field, “environmental stewardship” is a term every University Lands staff member takes seriously. Each member of the surface operations team is assigned a portion of land to manage, putting in many miles and hours of “windshield time” but also taking advantage of technology that includes digital cameras, Google Earth and GIS mapping systems. Geographically, the Lands run 385 miles east to west and 185 miles north to south—about the size of Alabama—but team members take pride in knowing their acreage like it’s their own backyard. Almost every lease agreement is non-exclusive, meaning each parcel of land typically supports a variety of operations—public utility lines, grazing, hunting, oil and gas wells, pipelines, transmission lines and renewable energy infrastructure typically exist on the same footprint. Those operations result in between 10,000 and 20,000 people working or traveling across the PUF Lands every day. Team members coordinate with one another and the operators to determine the best location, including access roads for all infrastructure installed on or under the Lands. Every proposed project is evaluated to determine whether it makes best use of the land, not just now but for the life of the project. Solar farms, for example, remain in place for 20 to 30 years, reducing the acreage available for grazing, hunting, farming or other uses during that time. Proactive field inspections are conducted daily as part of UL’s environmental stewardship efforts. UL staff also are onsite when wells are installed to confirm compliance with the submitted plans, and all plans and proposals are carefully reviewed to ensure the land is being used in the best way. While not a government regulator, all University Lands lease agreements contain the requirement for each lessee to comply with state and federal environmental regulations. The team continually inspects surface operations, both from the ground and aerially, to ensure that operators abide by the terms of the lease. The UL team encourages all lessees to follow the rules and continually provides education and guidance to assist them as needed, thereby reducing the impact of spills and the frequency of gas emissions. If a spill or leak does occur, the UL team works with the responsible party to resolve the situation and remediate the site in compliance with environmental regulations. The team provides operators with the training and support to be successful, but also to ensure that every installation and activity minimizes the impact to the land. One priority is ensuring that infrastructure that is no longer in use is properly decommissioned.
“We all take pride and responsibility, and have an attachment and love for the land. We ask operators to respect these lands like they were their own, just as we do.”
Jeff White, Director of Surface Operations
37
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker