Potential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota

Federal resource managers in the Williston Basin need to understand how the recent expansion of oil and gas development is affecting a range of natural resources. The Bakken Federal Executive Group (BFEG), a group of representatives from over a dozen federal and tribal agencies, called for a report that synthesizes existing information about the potential impacts from energy development. The BFEG recently partnered with the USGS to develop the report. The USGS used a two phase approach to developing the report: 1) a decision-focused scoping process to narrow down informational topics; 2) assembling writing teams to assemble existing information. The final report consists of syntheses of the landscape and socio-economic context of the energy boom, potential impacts of development on surface and ground water, and potential impacts to wildlife and habitats. The information provided in this report is intended to assist with timely permitting decisions, while providing information to assist in documenting potential impacts.