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Ask Governor Bill Ritter to Support Roan Plateau
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued its plan for the Roan Plateau in June, which calls for leasing the public lands within the planning area for natural gas drilling. If this decision is implemented, it would result in the industrialization of the landscape, forever altering this backcountry haven for wildlife and outdoor recreation. BLM has agreed to give Governor Bill Ritter 120 days to review the plan for the Roan Plateau. This provides the Governor a unique and important opportunity to comment on BLM's plan and seek greater protections for Roan Plateau. A balanced plan would limit drilling to existing sites within the Roan Plateau Planning Area while protecting the undeveloped public lands, keeping their pristine landscape and critical wildlife habitat intact. Writing to Governor Ritter and encouraging him to safeguard this special place is vital to achieving lasting protection. A balanced approach can still prevail, but our Governor needs to know the people of Colorado want to "keep the Roan Plateau as it is."
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I am writing you today to ask you to protect one of our most treasured Colorado landscapes, the Roan Plateau. As you know, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued its Record of Decision in June, which calls for opening the Roan Plateau's undeveloped public lands to natural gas drilling. If this decision is implemented, it would result in the industrialization of the landscape, forever altering this backcountry haven for wildlife and outdoor recreation. I am thankful that your administration has the opportunity to review and comment on BLM's decision on the Roan Plateau. I encourage you to use this opportunity to restore balance to the Western Slope's public lands by calling for no drilling on the undeveloped public lands within the Roan Plateau Planning Area. Already, half of the Planning Area is leased for oil and gas development. By restricting drilling these existing sites, we can allow for continued natural gas development, while protecting the Roan Plateau's pristine landscape and critical wildlife habitat. We are in the middle of a massive industrialization of our public lands, with drilling in Colorado occurring at unprecedented rates. Upwards of 50,000 new wells are projected in the Piceance Basin during the 15 years, an area in which 95% of BLM lands are already leased for oil and gas drilling. Traditional activities such as hunting, fishing, ranching, hiking and other backcountry recreation are simply incompatible with large-scale natural gas infrastructure such as drill rigs, well pads and compressor stations, along with the web of pipelines, roads and heavy truck traffic. Despite all of the natural gas drilling taking place in western Colorado, most of the public land within the Roan Plateau planning area remained undeveloped. These lands provide a precious zone of natural lands, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in a landscape of ever-expanding gas development. The Roan Plateau is truly an island in a sea of drilling. Keeping it that way would be a balanced approach that respects environmental and sustainable economic values while still allowing for reasonable resource extraction. Throughout the planning process, there has been overwhelming public support for protecting the Roan Plateau. Local governments across Garfield County have consistently and regularly voiced their opposition to drilling on the Roan's public lands. Additionally, 98.5% of the comments received on the Draft EIS supported protection for the public lands atop Roan Plateau. By allowing drilling on the Roan Plateau's public lands BLM's recent decision does exactly what the public has urged against since the beginning. As one of your constituents, thank you for your attention to and interest in the Roan Plateau. I urge you to use your review and comment period to support Western Slope's simple request to Keep the Roan Plateau as it is. Lastly, I encourage you to support Congressional legislation which protects the Roan Plateau. Your continued leadership on this issue will be essential to protecting this Colorado treasure for generations to come. Thank you for your service to the great state of Colorado.
Sincerely, |
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TIME FOR ROAN PLATEAU IS RUNNING OUT! Act quickly to help save the Roan Plateau!
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Intensive gas development on public and private lands at the base of the Roan Cliffs is already well underway. A similar fate could yet befall the undeveloped top of the plateau. © 2003, Colorado Environmental Coalition |
We are in the middle of a massive industrialization of our public lands, with drilling in Colorado occurring at unprecedented rates. Upwards of 50,000 new wells are projected in the Piceance Basin during the 15 years, an area in which 95% of public lands are already leased for oil and gas drilling. Traditional activities such as hunting, fishing, ranching, hiking and other backcountry recreation are simply incompatible with the large-scale natural gas infrastructure such as drill rigs, well pads and compression stations, along with the web of pipelines, roads and heavy truck traffic.
Despite all this natural gas drilling in western Colorado, the public lands on the top and the cliffs of the Roan Plateau remain mostly undeveloped. These lands provide an oasis of natural land, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in a landscape of expanding gas development. The Roan Plateau is truly an island in a sea of development. Keeping it that way would be a balanced approach that respects environmental and sustainable economic values while still allowing for reasonable resource extraction.
It is absolutely essential to the continued livelihood of our communities to protect our most sensitive and important places – places like the Roan Plateau -- for their traditional uses, for their remarkable backcountry and undeveloped recreational settings, and for the wildlife and healthy watersheds they sustain.
