Environmentalists say they will sue over Roan

Rocky Mountain News

Published June 16, 2008 at 4:02 p.m.
Updated June 16, 2008 at 4:41 p.m.

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Environmental groups announced today they plan to file a lawsuit to prevent the federal government from leasing land atop the Roan Plateau for oil and gas drilling, calling the plan one that "will needlessly damage important wildlife habitat, traditional uses and cherished public lands ... for the benefit of the richest industry in the world."

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced last week it would lease 55,000 acres of public land atop the Roan on Aug. 14. The announcement came over the objections of Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who has floated an alternative plan he argues would better protect the Roan while still allowing significant natural gas drilling.

"For eight years, tens of thousands of citizens, local governments, sportsmen, recreationalists and conservation groups have tried to make sure that the Roan" critical wildlife areas, clean water, and backcountry are properly managed and protected," said Elise Jones with the Colorado Environmental Coalition. "With the Bush administration's recent decision to lease all the remaining public lands in and around the Roan, they've left Colorado citizens no other option but to ask for our day in court."

The plans to sue over the BLM's plan come as Congress continues to consider legislation that would implement Ritter's plan for Roan drilling. Environmental groups also plan on filing a formal administrative protest against the lease sale. The Ritter administration has also hinted it will protest the sale.

BLM spokesman Steven Hall said for those following the long saga of the Roan, it's not a surprise that environmental groups have sued. But he also defended the BLM's plan.

"There's a lot more agreement on the Roan than people may be aware of," said Hall, emphasizing that the agency is following an order from Congress in 1997 that the Roan lands be leased for drilling "as soon as practicable."

"If people are wanting to see the Roan Plateau not available for leasing, that's really a question for Congress, because the direction we have from Congress is to lease it."

• June 16, 2008

  3:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Cowboy63 writes:

  The next time you're shocked at your utilities bill - thank Ritter and the environmentalists for their endless parade of lawsuits.

  They aren't offering any alternative solutions; just more legal action as your bill goes up and up and up.

• June 16, 2008

  4:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  SockRayBlue writes:

  Dan2

  I like the idea of protesting the cost of government. You go ahead. I tried that back in '75. The IRS did not smile at my antics. I'll watch your attempt. Good luck.

• June 16, 2008

  4:03 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Oliver2 writes:

  Actually, thanks to new national pipelines hauling Colorado's gas off to the Mid West our prices are going up no matter how much we drill. That's the word from the industry it self, currently banking record profits on the back of Coloradans.

  There have--in fact--been numerous solutions offered--by Ritter, by congressional offices, by local affected governments and even by conservation groups. I know it doesn't fit in to your pre-conceived prejudices, but I'm just saying...you haven't a clue of which you speak.

• June 16, 2008

  4:11 p.m.

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  Oliver2 writes:

  Or how about...North America's largest migratory mule deer herd? Or the last of the pure strains of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout? Perhaps, the last small fraction of the Piceance Basin not yet leased for oil and gas (where drilling has just started and energy companies admit they have a ten-year or greater backlog of drilling sites already stockpiled?). Again, I know you all like the simplistic view of 'environmentalists bad, drive up oil prices' but, frankly, you have nothing but your ill-conceived and erroneous opinions to back up your absurd claims.

• June 16, 2008

  4:16 p.m.

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  mytwosense writes:

  Dan2: "these environmentalists wish to have the poor and near poor sacrifice, so that 55,000 acres (out of Colorado's 8.4 MILLION acres) can remain "pristine."

  What are you saying? That out of Colorado's 8.4 million acres, the 55,000 in question are the only ones that would be subject to exploration and drilling?

  Just so you know, by 2004 the BLM had opened up over 3.5 million acres in this state to oil and gas exploration. I'm sure the number is even higher four years later. That's a hell of a lot of land open to drilling.

  Where are the savings at the gas pump, Dan2?

  You people need to admit the truth. What you are advocating is that we keep feeding an ever-ravenous system, despite the glaring evidence this "drill more" policy has done NOTHING to reverse skyrocketing oil prices.

  That's not a solution, it's a continuation of the problem!

• June 16, 2008

  4:17 p.m.

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  thelizard writes:

  Colorado, under the "leadership" of Ritter and his environmental friends is becoming hostile to energy companies. The booming economy and high paying jobs on the western slope is less important to them then the hysteria associated with their version of environmental doomsday scenerios.
  Thanks Dem. voters for giving us the your majority of anti-corporate, anti energy leadership. Maybe, with their help we can ruin our economy.

• June 16, 2008

  4:20 p.m.

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  RainbowWarrior writes:

  The United States has 2.3 billion acres of land. Wilderness lands are less than 4.5% of the total or 105 million acres...

  It is sad that there are some that would leave absolutely nothing but scortched earth in their path if lines were not drawn in the sand to protect the last wild places left. Is nothing sacred to some of you?

  You hate environmentalist because they are the only people you have come across in you pathetic lives that have said no to you, probably more than once!

• June 16, 2008

  4:30 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Cowboy63 writes:

  Oliver2 -

  There are more deer now in the state of Colorado than in the days of Lewis and Clark!

  Nature will continue to do what is has been doing for centuries. Adapt.

  This is the difference between a conservationist and an environmentalist.

• June 16, 2008

  4:34 p.m.

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  Oliver2 writes:

  I don't recall L&C coming through Colorado. I thought they followed the Missouri. Check out Sportsmen for the Roan Plateau and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership for information on what 'conservationists' think.

• June 16, 2008

  5:16 p.m.

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  Oliver2 writes:

  L&C were amazing, not only did they do a comprehensive wildlife survey of Colorado, apparently they did it from Montana to boot! Of course, the resource at play on the Roan is natural gas, not what one puts int he family SUV. But you are absolutely right TBone, drilling permits in Colorado have skyrocketed, while prices continue to climb. Reports from oil and gs companies operating in CO are rosy, especially now that they can ship Colorado's gas out of state, forcing us to pay more too. It's win-win for them, lose-lose for us.

• June 16, 2008

  5:22 p.m.

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  jjez writes:

  Okay, you are ALL idiots! They don't drill for CRUDE OIL on the western slope. It's mostly natural gas. Drilling will have no effect on pump prices. Only on whether there will be gas to heat our homes in the future. And since none of you are in the drilling industry, you really have no idea the advances that have been made in the drilling industry! 20 wells can be drilled on an acre and a half, where two decades ago, it took 20 acres. Get a clue, those of you who think you know everything there is to know about every subject on the planet! You're attitudes are getting tiresome.

• June 16, 2008

  5:47 p.m.

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  The_Punnisher writes:

  Most ENVIRONMENTALISTS need to get their sorry butts over to SAUDI ARABIA and the Middle East and try their antics there to STOP THE DRILLING!!

  Or put their money where their MOUTHS are and GET OFF THE GRID COMPLETELY! It will require HARDSHIP and SACRIFICE, but you can do it..That would include little things like managing the energy...Do I run the washer or refrigerator or charge the electric car that only can do 50 miles before a recharge ( so much for NREL grandstanding the other day ).....

  So what will it be? HYPOCRISY or REALITY?

  Are you that COMMITTED to the cause? Well, are you?

  Until then, you are part of the problem and not the solution...

• June 16, 2008

  5:56 p.m.

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  Oliver2 writes:

  Is the mis-spelling of your moniker intentional? Just wondering.

• June 16, 2008

  6:43 p.m.

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  BikerChick writes:

  ..
  Stupid, bone-headed, egotistical, ignorant liberal progressive jerks.

  Let's hear it for Ritter and Salazar and Perlmutter as they selfishly advocate for corn-ethanol fueled vehicles. The average tenth-grader can explain why that is a net-negative use of petroleum fuels to produce the ethanol, butt... those geniuses are unwilling to listen. Dumb. Meanwhile, the cost of raw corn-food has nearly tripled during the past 12 months - and the floods have decimated the corn crop.

  Yes, you may quote me.

  The USA - with the biggest petroleum reserves of any nation anywhere - is poised to become THE biggest petrolem product producer by 2013, as a tactical stop-gap while we motivate the new paradigm innovators as we move toward CLEAN energy independence.

  The Japanese will introduce their hydrogen car FOR SALE in southern California next month. The U S oil companies can hire the real geniuses to boot-strap our efforts, guarantee a golden future, and spend dollars equally for tactical and strategic (long-term) success, but the Ritter-Salazar-Perlmutter team will stall and prevent that option.

  Thus the desperately needed SAFE new-generation, redundant cluster refinery-farms will NOT be built in the USA, and the can-do Americans will be prevented from drilling safe, clean, environmentally conscious wells in fertile U S controlled oil fields. Meanwhile, we have foreign oil wells in ocean waters 60 miles from our Florida shores.

  Bone-headed, narrow-minded liberal progressive ostrich fools are standing in the way of our national success. Thank God they were not in-charge when the WW-II challenge was handled. We were then blessed with Dem leaders who understood the positive value of for-profit corporations.

  Those who villainize the only folks who can guarantee our future are just plain stupid. Wake up America. The Entitlement Society is sinking our precious ship.
  ..

• June 16, 2008

  6:56 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Oliver2 writes:

  Gee, and yet the PEOPLE of the towns and communities around the Roan would like to see it managed to safeguard the traditional uses it already supports--hunting, fishing, ranching. In fact, on average, 95% of PEOPLE responding to comment periods and the like want to see the Roan protected.

  The idea that Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida has been roundly rebuked, but that doesn't stop it from being repeated on blogs.

• June 16, 2008

  9:54 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  The_Punnisher writes:

  Oliver2 writes:

  Is the mis-spelling of your moniker intentional? Just wondering.

  He don't know me very well, do he??? 8-)...

  Catch my posts when the subject isn't as serious..( They are all over the local scene, too....)..

  I'm serious about this comment because I have had to do the Math and Engineering of the concept of total energy usage to be self sufficient. What is more relevant is that I was TRAINED in that subject. So rather than join the Sierra Club ( and justify action to deal with a guilty conscious feeling ), I did what any GOOD ENGINEER does. I crunched the REAL LIFE NUMBERS...

  The bottom line: We aren't ready to replace petroleum yet. Unless you are willing to accept the scenario above. There is NO OTHER POWER SOLUTION THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWS to replace the ergs you can get from a gallon of gas or diesel. ETHANOL does not have the same energy release ( I've worked with it too ) and it takes MORE energy to produce it!

  ( Now if the US citizen could have access to those spent fuel rods...)

• June 16, 2008

  10:16 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  mrfxx writes:

  Yes - let's blame those far out environmentalists for no drilling off the Florida shore. Minor detail folks - Jeb Bush requested it be prevented and W concurred. See "Bush prevents oil, gas drilling off Florida coast
  Government to buy back leasing rights" at http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-s...

  You don't suppose the Bush boys understood that if Big Oil had an accident they'd fight cleanup just as Exxon has fought paying the rest of the cleanup cost for the Valdez incident (for about 19 years so far). Seems to me the NIMBYs and the environmentalists actually have something in common.

  Meanwhile, I don't know how I can conserve more - my thermostat was between 55-60 degrees all last winter (and I don't have air conditioning, so not offsetting it with higher usage this summer). Besides, based on gasoline price costs, if we reduce our usage, Excel will just hike the unit costs to make up the difference - with full blessings from PUC (can anyone recall a single time when they denied the utility company a rate hike?). Bottom line - Colorado utility users are in a world of hurt.

• June 17, 2008

  7:39 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Oliver2 writes:

  Roan is about natural gas, and natural gas reserves are at an all time high in the US. Its not about crude, its not about diesel no matter how many numbers you crunch, real or imaginary.

  Local prices are spiking because its being developed too fast, and so companies need to get it out of state, driving up local prices as well.

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