Reps Salazar and Udall Urge BLM to Weigh Input from Local Communities in any Roan Decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. John Salazar, (CO-03), and Mark Udall, (CO-02) have sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Jim Caswell urging the BLM to reopen the Record of Decision (ROD) regarding drilling leases on the Roan Plateau.   The BLM granted the state an additional 120 day comment period due to concerns with the ROD.  The BLM should be prepared to make changes to the ROD to respond to the comments of the communities that would be directly affected by this drilling plan, especially comments related to wildlife.

Rep. Salazar said, “Decisions to drill must be made at the state and local level with direct input from those who are affected the most; Rep. Udall and I will continue to fight to make sure the voices of local communities are heard,” said Rep. Salazar.  “Extending the Record of Decision will ensure that BLM’s extended comment period to hear the State’s views will not have been in vain."

Rep. Udall said, “For the BLM to give the state’s input the serious consideration it deserves, it must reopen the ROD.  They have an obligation to the people of Colorado to take seriously input given by the state. To do otherwise would mean granting the additional time for comments was just a charade. ”

The full text of the letter can be found here.