For information on the Clean Water Restoration Act and Little Snake Resource Management Plan, see the home page of this website and click on the issue.

Colorado Oil and Gas Rules

Wildlife gained minimum protections in "sensitive wildlife habitat" in new rules adopted by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on December 10.  The rules were approved by the General Assembly'in March and signed by Governor Ritter on April 22.    The new rules became effective for new applications for permits to drill on private land on April 1, 2009 and on federal public lands managed by the BLM and US Forest Service beginnning on July 1, 2009.  The rules are posted on the website of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Oil Shale Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Program 

CWF supported Secretary  Salazar's decision in February to withdraw the second round of  RD&D leasing on federal public lands in the Piceance Basin [northwest Colorado] that the BLM had proposed in November 2008.    In his February announcement the Secretary decided to invite public comment as to whether a second round of RD&D leasing should take place.   CWF submitted its comments on May 27 in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Wildlife Federation.  CWF believes that a second round of federal leases would be premature because oil shale research on the existing federal public lands leases aer still in an early stage.  Water requirements and impacts are a central issue.  Water requirements must be known for large scale commercial development of oil shale in terms of direct production and electric power.  In addition, what will be the impact on streams during cyclical droughts and otherwise? Energy companies have pruchased water rights in the Colorado and White River Basins.  These rights are located in the PIceance Basin.  What would be the effect on agriculture and communities in northwest Colorado?  As to wildlife, the Piceance Basin would experience cumulative impacts from gas development plus oil shale.  The Piceance Basin is home to rich wildlife resources.   The comments are posted on the CWF website www.coloradowildlife.org on the home page under News.

Big Thompson River Fishing Access

Larimer County officials had been moving at what seemed to be an alarming rate, to dispose of steam access along the Big Thompson River that is owned by the County.  many of these parcels have been available to the public for fishing access for more than 30 years.    Due to the hard work by CWF, in conjunction with Friends of the the Big Thompson led by Wlat Graul, who also is the CWF Issues Committee Co-Chair, the County agreed in late April to retain 700 feet of river at Drake, with a buffer strip to the east side.  Earlier the County agreed to retain six areas and a key gruop of parcels in another area on the North Fork of the Big T.   As adjacent landowners sought to gain control of all of the riverfront land, we all have succeeded in preserving a significant amount of river access. Stay tuned as this is not the end.  There are two areas on the North Fork and three on the main river that the County originally proposed to retain but remain at issue.

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