Colorado Revises it's Oil and Gas Regulations

Colorado issued a record 6,368 drilling permits last year, six times the 1999 number, and state officials say more could be approved this year. Tens of thousands of new gas wells are expected on federal land alone over the next 20 years.

With the record drilling, in 2007 the State Legislature passed a key bill requiring the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to write new rules with the Colorado Dept of Public Health and the Division of Wildlife to better protect wildlife and the general public during oil and gas operations. Beginning in January, 2008 the COGCC began it's revision of the rules and over the last few months has held a number of public meetings and comment periods. The COGCC is expected to vote on the new regulations in August.

Read the Draft Rules

BLM to Start Leasing the Roan Plateau

Updated June 16, 2008

The Bureau of Land Management announced on Monday that they are offering oil and gas leasing on 55,000 acres of the Roan Plateau on August 14. The National Wildlife Federation and the Colorado Wildlife Federation have been engaged in a campaign to protect the 73,000-acre Roan planning area, which is rich in elk, mule deer and Colorado cutthroat trout. Sen. Salazar and Reps. Salazar and Udall introduced legislation to provide for greater protection than the BLM’s leasing plan, however, these bills have not moved in either body. Sen. Salazar has a second proposal for a shortened amendment that would still allow leasing in two of three areas on the Roan for the next two years to slow down the leasing and give the next Administration a chance to weigh-in on the plans.

Links:

Read more about the Roan Plateau.

Read a related article from The Denver Post: Drilling on Roan is certain, but payoff is not

Check out this video from the Colorado Environmental Coalition.

The Baca National Wildlife Refuge May Soon Be Drilled

The Baca National Wildlife Refuge, located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, may soon have oil and gas rigs on it. Just four years ago, the federal government paid approximately $33 billion to buy the private land to establish the refuge. However, the government was unsuccessful in purchasing the mineral rights to the land. Now, Toronto-based Lexam Energy Exploration company plans to drill the area, believing huge gas reserves lie underneath.

Read and Listen to a related article from NPR: Drilling Envisioned in Colorado Wildlife Refuge

Rocky Mountain News Special Report: Beyond the Boom

Colorado is on the front end of what may prove the greatest natural resource boom in its history, with more than 33,000 oil and gas wells pumping and tens of thousands more on the drawing board. It is a multi-billion dollar energy bonanza with potentially enormous social and environmental consequences for the state. In Beyond the Boom, four days of special reports beginning Monday, the Rocky Mountain News will examine whether Colorado is ready to deal with the phenomenon that could shape its future for decades to come.

From the links below, you can access news stories, slide shows, videos, maps and graphics, and discussions about the series.

DAY 1: Can Colorado exploit its riches while preserving its character?

DAY 2: Drilling operations reshape landscape

DAY 3: Energy rush creates haves and have-nots

DAY 4: All hands out for energy windfall

Colorado Passes Key Bills to Protect Wildlife

Over the past six months, two historic bills were passed to protect Colorado's wildlife from the impacts of oil and gas development. Colorado House Bill 1298, labeled the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stewardship Act, moved through both the state house and state senate without a single 'nay' vote! The bill was based on the 'Wildlife Management Guidelines for Oil and Gas Development' - a set of ten management guidelines to help minimize impacts of oil and gas development on our fish and wildlife resources. The guidelines were authored by Dennis Beuchler of the Colorado Wildlife Federation and Bob Elderkin of the Colorado Mule Deer Association and signed onto by more than 60 Colorado sportsmen, recreation, wildlife and conservation groups. In short, the bill directs the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to "plan and manage oil and gas operations in a manner that balances development with wildlife conservation in recognition of the state's obligation to protect wildlife resources and the hunting, fishing, and recreation tradition they support."

Following on the heels of House Bill 1298 was a second bill, Colorado House Bill 1341, which aimed to reconfigure the COGCC itself to ensure that it was no longer dominated by oil and gas industry representatives. Both of these bills were signed into law by Gov. Bill Ritter and took effect July 1, 2007. With the passage of these bills, an enormous step was taken in protecting Colorado's wildlife at a time when unprecedented energy growth threatens to change their habitat forever.

Read more on Colorado House Bills 1298 and 1341.

Little Snake Resource Area Plan in Revision

The Bureau of Land Management's Little Snake Field Office is in the process of revising the Little Snake Resource Management Plan (RMP). In its draft RMP for Little Snake, the BLM's preferred alternative proposes opening 93 percent of the area to oil and gas drilling. Over this area, 3,300 new wells and their associated infrastructure would be developed. Currently, the area is home to abundant populations of elk, deer and pronghorn. However, the proposed development is likely to have significant impacts on these populations.

Read more about the Little Snake Resource Management Plan revision.

Oil Shale Development in Colorado

The Bureau of Land Management just released its plan to begin commerical development of oil shale. To read more about the plan and submit comments to the BLM click here!

Oil shale is a rock that produces oil when heated to temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The United States is home to approximately 50 percent of the world's oil shale deposits, most of which are located in the Green River Formation of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Until now, cost challenges and environmental concerns have prevented large scale development of this resource. However, with the rising cost of gasoline prices, the federal government has now decided to reevaluate oil shale as a potential source of domestic oil.

Although new technologies for extracting oil from shale rock are being explored, there still remains much concern over the amount of energy required to bring the rock to such extreme temperatures, the amount of water needed for the process, and impacts to the Colorado River Watershed, wildlife habitat and recreation.

Read more about Oil Shale Development in Colorado.