Last week the federal Bureau of Land Management rejected environmental safeguards proposed by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter for oil and gas drilling on the Roan Plateau, which is located on Colorado’s western slope between Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs. The federal decision has infuriated Colorado officials and residents, who overwhelmingly support stricter environmental safeguards. Gov. Ritter’s plan is not anti-industry; it simply strives to recover the gas resources in an environmentally sensitive manner. Apparently the BLM would rather ignore the wishes of local Coloradans, and prefers to start the wholesale pillaging of Colorado’s resources before the Bush Administration leaves office in November.

The BLM plans to open the Roan for gas leasing this summer; however, Reps. Mark Udall and John Salazar, along with Sen. Ken Salazar, have promised to introduce legislation to make Ritter’s plan federal law.

Read the story at DenverPost.com and GJSentinel.com.

You can read more about the background of the Roan Plateau drilling issue here.