Oct. 10--WALSENBURG -- U.S. Rep. John Salazar on Thursday toured some of the sites residents say have been negatively affected by methane gas drilling operations in Huerfano County.

Residents told Salazar, D-Colo., of a string of events, including water wells running dry or becoming contaminated and homes being evacuated because of methane gas drilling.

"These people are putting in their whole life and soul into their farms and to have someone come in and destroy it for a short term gain to me is immoral," Salazar said while touring Brett Corsentino's dairy farm. "We have to go after the people doing this."

The Corsentino Dairy Farm has had issues with water quality affecting both livestock and corn crops. The corn is used for feed.

Corsentino, a fourth-generation dairy farmer, said that his 300 acres of corn have suffered because irrigation water from the Cuchara River has been contaminated with methane. Petroglyph Operating Company has drilled more than 50 methane wells in Huerfano County. Because of methane seepage into private water wells, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission ordered the wells shut down in 2007.

However, residents are still complaining that coal-bed methane has migrated into their wells and that some wells are drying up. Farmers and ranchers also are expressing fears that drilling for coal-bed methane could contaminate groundwater.

"Our corn is gone. These ears (of corn) are not how they should be," Corsentino said. "The release water is high in salt. . . It basically makes the crops bad."

Because of all the salt in the water, Corsentino said that his land has become alkaline.

"There is a lot of salt being put into the water from the discharges that Petroglyph is allowing into the normal water. So then what happens is that ties up all the nutrients and those aren't available for the crop.

"You actually tie up the soil and make it too tight. Once the land crusts the water runs off and the corn doesn't get enough water," Salazar, a rancher and farmer, explained.

Coal-bed methane is a form of natural gas extracted from coal seams. Coal-bed methane is gas trapped in coal deposits.

It is the same type of gas people might burn in their kitchen range.

Corsentino said that the "bad" water also is clogging his irrigation system because of contaminants.

Ben Bounds, a rancher who owns property near the River Ridge Ranch east of town, experienced an explosion on his property when methane in his water well ignited.

"For 14 years this well has been here functioning flawlessly, then on June 1, 2007, an explosion occurred in the well house, blowing the roof off and scattering debris across the way," Bounds said.

Bounds and his wife, Melanie, said they felt the blast at their nearby home.

Since the explosion, Bounds has set up methane gas monitors in his home. State officials also have set up a ventilation system at the well.

Shadows of gas fumes leaking through a pipe could be seen Thursday.

"This is a Band-Aid what we have here," Bounds said.

When their gas monitors sound, the Bounds turn everything off and evacuate their home.

"The methane is traveling through our water so it gets in through the plumbing," Melanie Bounds said.

Salazar said that he will do what he can to help, but didn't promise anything. He called the situation not only a safety issue but also a moral issue.

"For far too long the energy and powerful companies have been able to pay off private citizens to keep quiet about the issue and I am glad that you have come forward with courage to let people know what is going on," Salazar said.

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