BLM releases Draft Supplemental EIS on Roan Plateau
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An important step in the implementation of the landmark settlement Agreement
Washington, D.C. – Today the Bureau of Land Management released its Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Roan Plateau Resource Management Plan Amendment. The 90-day public comment period on the Draft SEIS will commence when the Environmental Protection Agency’s Notice of Availability for the Draft SEIS publishes in the Federal Register on November 20, 2015 and will run through February 18, 2016.
The Draft SEIS addresses concerns raised in a 2012 judicial decision with respect to the Roan Plateau. In addition, the Draft SEIS is consistent with last year’s landmark settlement agreement for the Roan Plateau. The BLM’s preferred alternative generally reflects the substantive elements of that settlement.
“For many years the Roan Plateau was a symbol of conflict in the American West,” said BLM Director Neil Kornze. “We are fortunate that a visionary group of local, state and industry leaders, as well as sportsmen and conservationists, came together to create a new path for the future of the Roan Plateau. This draft document moves that vision forward and protects some of the state's most important fish and wildlife habitat while also allowing for oil and gas development in places where it makes sense.”
The Roan Plateau is considered one of Colorado’s most ecologically diverse landscapes. The area is a popular destination for hunting, fishing, and backcountry recreation. The dramatic topography of the plateau hosts an array of game and sensitive species. The landscape is known for its spectacular cliffs, waterfalls, and box canyons. Originally set aside as Naval Oil Shale Reserves #1 and #3 in the 1910s, the Roan Plateau was transferred to the BLM in 1997 from the Department of Energy with directions to lease the area for oil and gas development as soon as practicable, while protecting the plateau’s wildlife, water and other natural resources. The transferred lands totaled 56,238 acres and the legislation required that the 12,029 acre-area below the rim, which already contained wells, be leased within a year.
Under the BLM’s preferred alternative, the area atop the plateau, where 17 oil and gas leases were canceled as part of the settlement, would be closed to leasing, while two leases on top and 12 below the rim of the plateau would be retained. The Draft SEIS also includes two elements – (1) more robust air quality analyses, and (2) an analysis of the “Community Alternative,” which would require the natural gas under the top of the Plateau to be accessed from private land or areas below the plateau through directional drilling. Consideration of the “Community Alternative” was required by the 2012 District Court decision.
“The release of the Draft SEIS represents another important step in the BLM’s fulfillment of its commitments under the Roan settlement,” said Colorado State Director Ruth Welch. “We are looking forward to continued engagement with the public on the alternatives in the Draft SEIS as the BLM continues working on this important project.”
The BLM intends to host two public open house meetings to answer questions and accept written comments on the Draft SEIS. These meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings, and are tentatively planned for January 2016.
In addition to analyzing oil and gas issues identified in the 2012 judicial decision, the Community Alternative also considers options for managing conflicts between recreational target shooting and other recreational activities below the rim in the Hubbard Mesa area.
“Because Hubbard Mesa is within the Roan Plateau Planning Area, we have a chance to address user conflicts in the area through the SEIS process,” Welch said. “We don’t currently include any changes to recreation within Hubbard Mesa in our preferred alternative, but we could include changes later depending on public and cooperator comments.”
Given the importance of minimizing these conflicts, the BLM intends to hold one public meeting specific to recreational uses in Hubbard Mesa, including recreational target shooting. BLM will announce that meeting at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings. It is tentatively planned for January 2016.
Public comments on the Draft SEIS need to be received by February 18, 2016 and may be submitted to:
Website: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_
E-mail: roanplateau@blm.gov
Fax: 970-876-9090
Mail: BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, Attn: Roan Plateau SEIS, 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.