Comment on Roan Plateau ACECs

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Although the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently issued its decision for most of the Roan Plateau, which will open almost all of the public lands on the plateau it to oil and gas development, the agency postponed making a ruling on about 30% of the planning area. These areas consist of what BLM has labelled "areas of critical environmental concern" (ACECs).

These areas are the Roan's most sensitive places: habitat for genetically pure Colorado River cutthroat trout, home to rare plants, and critical range for deer and other wildlife. Most of these lands were found by the BLM to have all the features which would qualify them for wilderness designation, although the agency has refused to consider following through by providing appropriate protections for the land's wilderness character.

It is critical that BLM preserve this last reserve of pristine, wilderness-quality land atop the Roan. Please take a moment to write comments below.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please Act to Save the Roan Plateau
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
BLM should give priority to protecting all of the Roan Plateau's Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). Agency regulations and federal law require that the BLM give priority to protecting ACECs when it is amending its land use plans. Most public comment have urged strong protections for the Roan's public lands, and BLM should ensure that it makes protection of these places its top priority.
BLM should designate as ACECs all qualifying lands. The agency is improperly excluding thousands of acres of sensitive public lands. Roan's ACECs should be expanded and strengthened to protect the entire watersheds of streams vital to native trout, to protect wildlife habitat, and to preserve backcountry recreation and wilderness values. These larger boundaries are supported by area governments and several cooperating agencies, and by original recommendations made by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
ACECs should be closed to oil and gas leasing. BLM has discretion to close these sensitive lands to oil and gas leasing, which will still leave the majority of lands in the planning area available for oil and gas leasing. If leased, these areas must be protected by non-modifiable No Ground Disturbance stipulations.
Finally, the BLM should provide a meaningful analysis of all Roan Plateau lands that qualify as ACECs, and provide for effective public consideration and comment. By refusing to consider the boundaries recommended by its own studies and supported by its own cooperating agencies, the BLM is turning its review into little more than a paper exercise.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 19, 2007

Background Information

TIME FOR ROAN PLATEAU IS RUNNING OUT!

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.

The Roan Plateau is a magical place of deep canyons, quiet trout streams, and expansive meadows. The Roan is one of the top four biological hotspots in Western Colorado -- and the only one without protections. Extractive industries have targeted the resources under and around the Roan Plateau, and indeed, about half of the Roan Plateau area is already either owned or leased by the oil and gas industry, where development is already underway. These lands provide an oasis of natural land in a landscape of expanding gas development. Keeping it that way would be a balanced approach that respects environmental and sustainable economic values while still allowing for reasonable resource extraction.

BLM has been under tremendous pressure from Washington and industry to open up the area to massive drilling. But throughout the planning process, that has been consistently countered by the voice of tens of thousands of citizens, local governments across the county and region, and newspapers across the state, all supporting protection for the top of the Plateau.

Last month, BLM issued their official Record of Decision (ROD) on its management plan for Roan Plateau, which will govern all uses for 15 years or more. This decision will lease the public lands in the planning area for oil and gas development, and would lead to drill rigs, well pads, roads, dusty truck traffic, and noisy compressors stations scattered across much of this pristine landscape.

More recently, Congressman John Salazar and Congressman Mark Udall proposed to Congress a funding limitation that would prohibit the Bureau of Land Management from leasing the Roan Plateau through September 2008. Unfortunately, this proposed amendment was never heard, as last minute political pressure kept the debate out of the public arena.

Roan Plateau’s most sensitive places need your help!

Although the U.S. Bureau of Land Management recently issued its decision for most of the Roan Plateau (to open it to oil and gas leasing), the agency postponed its decision for about 30% of the planning area, Roan Plateau’s ‘areas of critical environmental concern’ (ACECs).

These areas are the Roan most sensitive places, habitat for genetically pure Colorado River cutthroat trout, home to rare plants, and critical range for deer and other wildlife. Most of these lands were found by the BLM to have all the features necessary to be designated wilderness, although the agency has refused to consider proper protections for the land’s wilderness character.