Cholla Petroleum of Dallas, Texas has begun site construction for four exploratory oil and gas wells in the Apalachicola River floodplain of Calhoun County.
The Apalachicola River basin includes Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Liberty, Jackson, and part of Gulf counties.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued the permits in December of 2019 allowing the company to drill a total six oil wells in southern Calhoun county.
The wells will be drilled between the Dead Lakes, Chipola River and the Apalachicola River.
The company proposes to drill nearly 13 thousand feet down, going through the Floridan aquifer, the source of drinking water for much of Florida.
The permits were opposed by a number of groups downstream of the drilling including the City of Apalachicola who cited concerns over pollution, and the impact the wells could have on the fishing and tourism industries.
The Apalachicola Riverkeeper also opposed the drilling, citing the significant ecological and economic risks this would bring to the region, including downstream communities.
The Riverkeeper group says it will continue to monitor the permit activities and address concerns with residents, local and state officials.
No comments:
Post a Comment