Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado State Director Helen Hankins has developed a pattern of offering controversial drilling plans, which when met with widespread public outcry are temporarily halted, only to be re-offered after the furor has died down. In 2011 Dir. Hankins proposed oil and gas leasing in Park County at South Park, home… Read more »
A new, compelling video from the Center for American Progress shows how drilling and fracking are encroaching on Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s an eye-opening look at how North Dakota’s industrial scale oil boom is wreaking havoc on the park and asks the question: How much are we willing to sacrifice? [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfOpPnfW0lo] Here in… Read more »
Is Colorado BLM Director Helen Hankins backpedaling on decisions to halt controversial drilling plans next to Mesa Verde National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and in North Fork Valley? Barely a month after deferring oil and gas leasing decisions, Dir. Hankins’ staff are showing signs she is planning to welch on her office’s commitment to protect… Read more »
Wednesday, South Park and the North Fork Valley residents and business owners turned out to protest BLM’s controversial ‘lease first, plan later’ approach to oil and gas drilling at the Colorado BLM Resource Advisory Council (RAC) meetings. The public’s testimony focused on the need for BLM to finish critical planning and studies before they lease… Read more »
The Colorado Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced that it will defer the sale of eight controversial oil and gas leases (10,839 acres) near Mesa Verde National Park from its upcoming February 14th lease sale. State Director Helen Hankins has also announced that BLM will defer three leases and portions of two others (2,626… Read more »
Today, President Obama nominated Sally Jewell as the next Secretary of the Interior. Ms. Jewell would bring a diverse and accomplished background to the department. She is well positioned to expand upon the Administration’s balanced approach toward energy development on public lands. This approach is necessary to reign in oil and gas companies that act… Read more »
Today Former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt outlined a vision for balanced public land management in a speech at the National Press Club. Secretary Babbitt urged President Obama to permanently protect one acre of public lands – potentially as a national park, wilderness area, or national monument – for every one acre of our… Read more »
“All it takes is one spill, and we’re toast.” – rancher, Landon Deane “I can’t guarantee you there won’t be a spill,” – Colorado BLM deputy state director for energy and minerals, Lonny Bagley Worried what unchecked oil and gas drilling would do to their communities and livelihoods, Coloradans are up in arms about the… Read more »
Today’s Denver Post features an op-ed by former Dinosaur National Monument Superintendent Denny Huffman. Huffman calls on Colorado BLM Director Helen Hankins’ to withdraw oil and gas drilling leases next to Dinosaur and Mesa Verde National Park. Huffman also ask Hankins to follow the balanced energy development approach outlined in the Administration’s 2010 leasing reforms,… Read more »
CO BLM says that coal leasing will be impacted if oil and gas leases are withdrawn “What many people don’t realize is that if the federal government were to cut the parcels to zero, it would also affect all minerals (rights) in the North Fork Valley,” said Shannon Borders, public affairs specialist for the BLM’s… Read more »
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