Press Release- June 11, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2007
Contact:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370
RITTER TELLS INTERIOR SECRETARY RECENT DECISIONS ON ROAN UNDERMINE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION
Gov. Bill Ritter today told U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne that last week's decisions to move forward on oil-and-gas development of the Roan Plateau without giving the state adequate time to comment undermines a longstanding spirit of cooperation between Colorado and the federal government.
"The Roan is a place of exceptional environmental and recreational qualities, and is of great importance to local communities," Gov. Ritter wrote in a letter to Secretary Kempthorne. "The 75,000 comments received by the Bureau of Land Management during the public review process reflected a 98% desire to refrain from leasing the top of the Roan. Your decision to ignore these public comments and limit my Administration's participation in the process undermines efforts to build what should be a cooperative federal/state relationship."
The Interior Department last week denied Gov. Ritter's request for an additional 120 days to evaluate the draft Roan Plateau Resource Management Plan. A day later, the Bureau of Land Management issued the first of two Records of Decision for managing increased demand for energy development of the Roan.
In his letter, Gov. Ritter said there was no reason for the federal government to push ahead with the Roan management plan. The federal government has left the state with no choice except to support congressional legislation that would provide Colorado additional review time.
"The citizens of this State are concerned about the management of our public lands, the scale and pace of energy development, and the ability of our local communities to plan for and manage the extraordinary impacts that inevitably come with increased leasing and extraction," Gov. Ritter wrote. "I am intent on finding the balance between protecting our environment, traditional economies, and special places with allowing and planning for responsible future oil and gas development."
Here is the complete text of the letter:
June 11, 2007
U.S. Department of the Interior
Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Dear Secretary Kempthorne:
I am writing today to express my extreme disappointment with your decision to deny the State of Colorado's request for a 120-day period to review the Roan Plateau Resources Management Plan prior to your issuing the Record of Decision. I am equally disappointed by your decision to lease the Roan for oil and gas development at this time.
As a new state Administration, we requested the limited additional review time to have the opportunity to recommend approval or modification of the plan, particularly with the enormous public concern over future leasing decisions. As you know, the Roan is a place of exceptional environmental and recreational qualities, and is of great importance to local communities. The 75,000 comments received by the Bureau of Land Management during the public review process reflected a 98% desire to refrain from leasing the top of the Roan. Your decision to ignore these public comments and limit my Administration's participation in the process undermines efforts to build what should be a cooperative federal/state relationship.
Equally concerning is your immediate push to lease the Roan at this time. The Plateau is surrounded by other BLM land where the agency has already committed to extensive drilling. For example, your White River Management Plan adjacent to the Roan calls for 22,000 new wells over the next 15 years. The nearby Glenwood/Kremmling Management Plan calls for an additional 15,000 new wells. The Little Snake and Hiawatha Management Plans call for 6,000 additional wells. These projections are additive to tens of thousands of wells projected on nearby private lands. With approximately 120 rigs currently available in Colorado, it will be many years before the Roan would be needed to meet additional demand. There is absolutely no reason why certain special places, like the Roan, cannot be deferred for leasing while these other projects go forward.
BLM Director James Hughes' reliance on the Naval Shale Oil Reserve statute as the reason for expedited leasing of the Roan is clearly a misstatement of the law. Nothing in the statute prevents deferring leasing decisions during the near term. In fact, BLM¿s original set of alternatives for the Roan included "no-drill" options.
Similarly, Director Hughes' reference to an earlier Colorado Department of Natural Resources plan for the Roan omits the fact that an election was held in Colorado, and that I lead a new Administration. The citizens of this State are concerned about the management of our public lands, the scale and pace of energy development, and the ability of our local communities to plan for and manage the extraordinary impacts that inevitably come with increased leasing and extraction. I am intent on finding the balance between protecting our environment, traditional economies, and special places with allowing and planning for responsible future oil and gas development.
Your decision has led me to take a more active role in working with Congressmen John Salazar and Mark Udall, as well as other members of Colorado's Congressional delegation, to support funding limitations on the Department of Interior's Appropriations Bill, or other legislation that will restrict BLM from going forward with leasing of the Roan during the coming year.
Finally, I share Director Hughes' concern about the impact of his decision on the cooperating agency relationship between Colorado and the Department of Interior. This relationship must be based on a mutual respect for our respective values and missions. In the past, this relationship has worked to overcome initial disagreements and to find mutually acceptable land management plans. Unfortunately, the Department of Interior's actions on the Roan undermine this past spirit of cooperation.
Sincerely,
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor