A Balanced Approach? Resources vs Habitat

The Bureau of Land Management proposes thousands of more oil/gas wells for the Little Snake Resource Area in the northwest corner of Colorado.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed revisions to its Little Snake (northwestern Colorado) resource plan. BLM now wants to develop up to 4,000 wells on these federal lands.

On July 3, 2007, Harris Sherman, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, recommended a balanced approach to development of oil and gas resources in the Little Snake Resource Area, as the area is home to Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s largest mule deer and elk herds and is prime habitat for the greater sage-grouse, a possible candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Sherman predicted that a listing of the sage grouse would result in far more restrictive measures affecting not only oil and gas development, but agriculture and recreation.

The Little Snake Resource Area is home to Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s largest mule deer and elk herds and the prime habitat for the greater sage-grouse, a possible candidate for the Endangered Species Act.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has recently revised its approach to protecting the species, calling for expanded voluntary and regulatory measures to protect the bird.

Sherman also recommended the Vermillion Basin, 77,000 acres of stark beauty within the area, should have a no-lease option for the 15-20 year duration of the BLM management plan. The Vermillion Basin holds only two percent of gas resources in the Little Snake planning area.

The BLM also wants to increase wells on the Roan Plateau in northwest central Colorado. Colorado U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Gov. Bill Ritter renewed their request on July 3, 2007 for the federal government to grant the Ritter administration 120 days to review the Roan management plan for future oil-and-gas drilling. Federal leases already have been sold that will expand the number of drills to 60,000 in northwest Colorado in the next 15 years, according to the governor?EUR??,,????'???s office.

Elsewhere in Colorado, BLM plans to drill up to 22,000 wells in the White River National Forest and up to 15,000 in the Glenwood Springs/Kremmling planning areas.

?EUR??,,????'??We believe that a few special places should be off-limits from oil and gas development at least during the 20 year life of the BLM?EUR??,,????'???s resource management plan,?EUR??,,????'?? Sherman said.