Latest Developments: On April 17, Senator Ken Salazar and Reprsentatives John Salazar and Mark Udall proposed legislation to protect key habitats on the Roan Plateau while allowing for phased leasing of the Plateau's natural gas reserves, with development focused along the primary existing ridgetop roads. CTU and other hunting/angling groups support the legislation as a good step in protecting many key areas on the Roan; click here to see the Sportsmen for the Roan press release.
Legislation became nessary because on March 13, the Bureau of Land Management issued its second Record of Decision (for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern) and announced that it was rejecting the phased leasing plan proposed by Governor Bill Ritter as an alternative to BLM's plan from its first Record of Decision. The BLM's action clears the way for the Roan Plateau to be leased for oil and gas development as soon as August 2008.
Governor Ritter then issued a statement expressing disappointment with the BLM decision, and indicating his desire to work with Colorado's congressional delegation on legislative alternatives for management and protection of the Roan. “The Roan Plateau is one of the West’s special and unique places and it deserves a special effort to craft a sound long-term management plan," Ritter said. "We have just one chance to get this right.” Click here to see the full text of Governor Ritter's statement.
A native Colorado River cutthroat trout from Trapper Creek on the Roan Plateau.
Background on the Roan Plan: On June 8, 2007, the Bureau of Land Management issued its Record of Decision for the Roan Plateau management plan, giving approval to move forward with oil and gas development atop the Roan. CTU had numerous concerns with the plan - including the BLM's own conclusion that their proposal would result in elimination of rare native cutthroat trout populations atop the Roan. An overview of CTU's concerns with the BLM plan appears on a separate page on this site.
Since that time, the politics surrounding the Roan have run through a number of cycles. Governor Bill Ritter asked BLM for a 120 extension so that the state's new leadership could have time to review the plan; BLM initially refused. Senator Ken Salazar responded by blocking Senate confirmation of the new BLM director. Representatives John Salazar and Mark Udall then secured an amendment to the House Energy bill that would establish "no surface occupancy" for exploration or drilling above the rim on the Roan Plateau (i.e., allowing leasing but requiring the use of directional drilling from adjacent lands rather than distrubing the top of the Roan). The BLM changed gears and agreed to provide the Ritter Administration with 120 days to review the plan. Senator Salazar then released his hold on the BLM director's nomination. While it had passed the House, the Salazar-Udall amendment was unable to secure the support needed to pass through the Senate. Then, in December, Governor Ritter came out with his proposal, which strengthened some protections on the Roan but nonetheless contemplated phased development atop the Plateau. CTU did not support the Governor's proposal, as it still failed to protect the vital cutthroat trout watersheds within the Roan Plateau planning area. Click here for more on the Governor's proposal and CTU's reaction.
In March 2008, BLM issued a second record of decision continuing the direction laid out in its first but addressing what it had defined as "Areas of Critical Environmental Concern" (ACECs)- including some of the Plateau's high-value native cutthroat trout habitats. ACECs would enjoy protections from surface occupancy and ground disturbance - but those protections can be waived by the BLM.
If this all seems rather confusing - it is. The Roan's future is very much up in the air. At this point, the major outstanding processes are:
- The BLM has issued its Records of Decisions, and leasing could move forward as soon as August 2008. It is likely that conservation interests will challenge the BLM's plan in federal court.
- Senator Salazar and Representatives Salazar and Udall have introduced legislation implementing some of the key components of the Governor's plan including expanded protections for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Such legislation, if passed and signed into law, would "trump" the BLM's plan by given the agency new statutory direction.
A copy of the BLM's Record of Decision can be viewed at the BLM's Roan Plateau website.