News Release

National Park Service Approves Finding of No Significant Impact and Nonfederal Oil and Gas Operation at Obed Wild and Scenic River

Date: April 2, 2024
Contact: Tom Blount, [phone]

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that a finding of no significant impact has been approved by the South Atlantic-Gulf Regional Director along with an operations permit for ENREMA, LLC (ENREMA) to conduct nonfederal oil and gas operations within Obed Wild and Scenic River. ENREMA’s operations will enhance privately-owned oil recovery from existing wells in Morgan County, Tennessee.

“The National Park Service carefully reviewed ENREMA’s application, conducted a detailed evaluation of the potential impacts of their proposed operations, and developed robust requirements for the safety of our visitors and protection of the environment,” said Obed Wild and Scenic River Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas.

Oil and gas rights within Obed Wild and Scenic River were reserved when federal lands were purchased by the United States and remain privately owned. ENREMA must comply with the NPS non-federal oil and gas rights regulations at 36 CFR Part 9, Subpart B, which are designed to ensure the protection of federally owned or administered lands, waters, and resources, visitor uses and experiences, and visitor and employee health and safety.

ENREMA’s Smarsh Project involves the injection of produced natural gas or water into existing wells outside of the park boundary to increase production in other wells, including those within the park, by building pressure and pushing oil to them. Only five of the fifteen existing wells in the Smarsh Unit are located within the boundaries of Obed Wild and Scenic River and subject to NPS regulation and approval. The Smarsh Project does not include hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.”

The finding of no significant impact, including responses to comments received regarding the environmental assessment previously prepared by the NPS to evaluate the project, is available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ENREMA.