WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, released the following statement regarding the lawsuit introduced today requesting an injunction on oil and gas leasing on Colorado’s Roan Plateau:

“It is important to have environmentally responsible oil and gas drilling to power our economy while we push for the speedy development of clean, renewable energy resources,” said DeGette.  “However, I believe we can all agree that there are certain places that are spectacular enough to warrant protection from drilling.  The Roan Plateau is one of those places, one of Colorado’s crown jewels in fact, and I hope the court grants an injunction before the drill rigs start rolling in.”

Rep. DeGette is the author of H.R. 3756, the Colorado Wilderness Act, legislation she has introduced every year since 1999 that would designate the Roan Plateau as federally protected wilderness.  Under her bill, the Roan Plateau and 61 other areas in the state would be permanently safeguarded from oil and gas drilling.  In September, Rep. DeGette will tour the Roan Plateau with members of Congress from the Natural Resources Committee where her bill is pending, including Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV).