The Bureau of Land Management announced recently that they were moving forward to implement the cautiously restrictive resource development plan for the Roan Plateau in western Colorado estimated to contain 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. 

We see that as Good News for at least four reasons. First, Colorado’s economy could use the boost from the estimated billion dollars of royalty payments that will be shared with the federal government plus the effect of good paying jobs in the energy industry.  Secondly, increasing the domestic production component of the nation’s energy demand only makes sense. Third, the planning process to draft the development plan took seven years, involved everyone from industry representatives, environmentalists, wildlife experts, local officials, and private citizens.   It was by all accounts the most extensive and restrictive plan ever crafted west of the Mississippi.  Fourth, in announcing the August 14 auction of the Roan leases per the adopted plan, the BLM resisted efforts by Governor Ritter, Senator Ken Salazar and Congressmen Mark Udall and John Salazar – all Democrats – to delay, stall, and limit production on the Roan. 

Over half of the 74,000 acre plateau just east of Grand Junction will be completely off limits to development.  Furthermore, development will be confined to a single operator and restricted to less than 1% of the area at any one time and done in a phased ridge-by-ridge progression.  Latest directional drilling will allow for multi-well single pad operations.  The BLM believes that the single lease plan gives them the maximum degree of environmental control and protection by limiting development to one operator.  The phased plan promoted by the Democrats would almost certainly lead to more roads and infrastructure demands by multiple leases creating an expanded environmental footprint according to Stephen Allred, Deputy Secretary of the BLM. 

There is one more reason why the BLM decision is our Good News for June- Senator Ken Salazar was “deeply disappointed.”  Salazar, you see, pulled out ever trick in his bag to impede progress on the Roan.  But, while Salazar stewed at being on the losing side, Colorado’s Senior Senator Wayne Allard smiled.  A spokesman for Allard said, “If Sen. Salazar would stop pulling the rug out from under Coloradans and the private industry willing to invest in developing this resource, Colorado would be better for it.”
In 1997 Congress and the Clinton Administration directed leasing of federal land including the Roan as soon as practical.  Eleven years later and following an inclusive and exhaustive public planning process the day may finally have come.  Only in government could anyone think the BLM’s decision to finally move forward on the Roan is still “too soon.” Anytime government actually ends “process” and gets to “production” we think it is Good News.