Excellent environmental PJ shot. People who didn't know about the beauty of the Plateau didn't know what was at risk when the permits were granted. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for you comments, folks. Paul, we're looking south towards I70, just west of Rifle. Don - no horses, just a few deer. And regarding the drilling - I work with a number of conservation groups and no one is opposed to drilling for natural gas. The oil and gas companies want to drill the top of The Roan though, a big problem considering they can get to the gas from the Rulison Field below. In fact, the current BLM record of decision allows for some limited drilling on the surface of the plateau - a continuation of single-use management of our lands. BIG OIL continues to aggressively pursue oil shale and has oil shale reserves on The Roan, an unbelievably dirty process that uses a disproportionate amount of water for the energy produced. Yes, the area is rich with gas and has oil in the shale, but we are giving our lands and western heritage away for short term gain. The promise of high-paying jobs in rural communities has turned into outright robbery of wild places. I'm all for a balanced approach, but some places are simply too wild to drill. End of rant.
Discussion
14 repliesCan't wait to see your project as it comes together... obviously you're gathering LOTS of great material!