Governor is unheeded on drilling plan
The federal government released its management plan for drilling on the state’s Roan Plateau, rejecting most of the environmental compromises offered by Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter Jr.
The plateau, near Rifle, is rich in natural gas and oil shale as well as wildlife.
It has been a front in a dispute over balancing energy production and wildlife resources.
In December, Ritter sent recommendations to the Bureau of Land Management asking that areas considered the most environmentally sensitive be expanded and suggesting phased-in rather than all-at-once leases atop the plateau, effectively increasing the protected areas.
The government’s plan contains no significant changes from one issued last June.
Industry advocates applauded the federal move as a step toward tapping potentially 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
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