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Drilling on the Roan Plateau

Monday, March 5 at 12:01 AM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Tresi Houpt, Garfield County Commissioner

In response to an article run in the Rocky Mountain News; I feel compelled to write a response clarifying my participation in a meeting on the Roan Plateau Management Plan, initiated by the Colorado Environmental Coalition held on February 22 with Congressmen Salazar and Udall. Throughout this meeting I was very careful to distinguish the Garfield County view from my own views as a County Commissioner. My fellow Commissioners do support careful drilling on top of the Roan Plateau. I have always been very up-front about being in support of no drilling on top of the Roan Plateau during this planning period. I believe that several things need to happen before we commit to leasing on top of the Plateau; this includes the following:

A comprehensive analysis of need should to be conducted. Currently there are hundreds of thousands of acres available for drilling, without opening the top and the cliffs of the Roan Plateau up for leasing. Enough to keep the industry busy for years to come;

Impose time restrictions for drilling in areas identified for drilling in the Roan Plateau management plan for wildlife protection; Follow the DNR plan in areas below the rim and off of the cliffs so that it may be tried, refined and improved throughout the life of the management plan. Currently, no one can promise that the DNR's approach to drilling on top of the Roan Plateau will protect the special values identified on the top and on the cliffs. As we are experiencing in our county, drilling brings heavy truck traffic, evaporation pits, water treatment ponds, compressor stations, heavy fracing equipment and a well pad that will remain in the area for an unidentified amount of time. Regardless of the approach, if the BLM allows drilling on top of the Plateau, it will lose its' pristine qualities.

Set a goal for extracting the natural gas reserves under the Roan Plateau without moving activity to the top and without placing undo burden on the communities at the base. Technology should be guided in this direction over the next several years. We need to recognize that not every pocket of natural gas can be extracted without compromising special natural environments, wildlife, endangered species, thriving long-term economies and the quality of life that should be protected.

Garfield County is experiencing an extraordinarily high level of energy development, which is promised only to increase. Today we have a responsibility to identify what areas need to be left untouched for future generations to enjoy; I believe that the top of the Roan Plateau is one of those areas easily defined.

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