There has been much discussion regarding directional drilling for natural gas; some locals refer to it as slant drilling. There are signs on Pass Road in the Sutter Buttes and letters to the editor demanding it.

I interviewed four companies drilling locally and asked about this practice and got different responses. I visited Venoco sites in the Buttes and saw that contrary to popular claims, Venoco is directionally drilling and using multi-well pads, more so than not. Others were more reluctant due to costs and failures during drilling or operation of the directional pipe. Imagine pulling a garden hose around the corner of your house. Things get stuck, worn or destroyed.

In the Buttes there are orchards, quarries, cattle and crops. All having a greater environmental impact than gas wells. Quarry impacts are obvious. Orchards are operated to host a single species (almond, walnut, etc.); other species are eliminated. Orchards use lots of groundwater and affect views. Crops are a mono-species endeavor, limiting biodiversity.

Cattle are non-native, causing soil erosion, water quality problems and elimination of native perennial grasses replaced by invasive annual grasses and thistles.

Folks need to make a living. Legitimate land use has an impact, but gas wells have less impact than other respected land uses like cattle and orchards.

Charles Roberts

Sutter