Colorado Wildlands at Risk

From sweeping sagebrush basins to rainbow-colored badlands, the Little Snake Resource Area boasts some of Colorado's most rugged and wild landscapes; world-class elk, mule deer, and pronghorn hunting; ancient petroglyph-filled canyons; and excellent hiking and whitewater rafting.

We need to let the BLM know that this area should be protected. Alarmingly, the BLM has published a draft management plan that would relegate most of these lands to irresponsible oil and gas development, road building, and off-road vehicle (ORV) use.

The damaging effects of this proposal to the wide-open landscapes and rural western lifestyle of the region would be widespread and long-term. That's why we need your help today - to take action and convince the BLM to adopt a responsible, sustainable plan that will protect wildlife and special places like the Vermillion Basin proposed wilderness.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Little Snake Draft Management Plan

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

The rugged landscapes and abundant wildlife of the Little Snake Resource Area are a precious resource that I believe should be better protected in the draft management plan you are developing. Of the alternatives proposed, Alternative D comes closest to a balanced strategy that safeguards Northwest Colorado's special places while allowing energy development and motorized recreation where appropriate. I strongly oppose BLM's preferred management alternative, Alternative C, which emphasizes widespread oil and gas development at the expense of other public values such as the area's important sage grouse habitat and proposed wilderness lands.

Whatever plan the BLM adopts, it should include the following provisions to protect the abundant wildlife and undeveloped landscapes of the region:

- Protect Vermillion Basin and other proposed wilderness lands by closing them to oil and gas drilling and off-road vehicles.

- Limit oil and gas impacts on sage grouse and critical big game habitat by capping surface disturbance at one well per 640 acres, and requiring best management practices including directional drilling.

- Improve off-road vehicle management by establishing a designated route system for the entire Little Snake Resource Area. It should also eliminate or significantly reduce the size of the proposed Sand Wash ORV unrestricted "play" area.

- Designate all 12 eligible Areas of Critical Environmental Concern to protect essential habitat for imperiled plants and prairie dog colonies.

- Protect all five eligible Wild and Scenic river stretches along the Yampa River, Vermillion Creek, and Beaver Creek.

Opening 93% of the Little Snake Resource Area to oil and gas development, as called for in your proposal, is not a balanced approach. The final management plan should preserve the social fabric of the local communities and the wild, open landscapes of the region by placing special areas off-limits to drilling and ensuring that any energy development is done in a phased manner that limits negative impacts to our air, water and wildlife habitat.

Thank you for considering my views, and for protecting the unique and wonderful lands of Northwest Colorado. Please do NOT put me on your mailing list.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 14, 2007

Background Information

Wildlife, Beauty, and More

From sweeping sagebrush basins to rainbow-colored badlands, the Little Snake Resource Area boasts some of Colorado's most rugged and wild landscapes; world-class elk, mule deer, and pronghorn hunting; ancient petroglyph-filled canyons; and excellent hiking and whitewater rafting. Unfortunately, BLM's preferred management alternative prioritizes oil and gas development over our wildlife, wildlands and cultural heritage - opening up 93% of the resource area to drilling and leaving other values vulnerable to irreparable damage.

Still-pristine lands with exceptional wilderness qualities - such as Vermillion Basin, Cold Springs Mountain, and the region's five other proposed wilderness areas - should be managed to protect the solitude, wildlife habitat and cultural resources they offer. Also in need of protection is the Little Snake's outstanding greater sage-grouse habitat, considered the best left in Colorado, to preserve this rapidly declining species. While Management Alternative D in the draft plan (considered the "conservation alternative") would provide some protection for proposed wilderness lands and key habitats by designating Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Special Recreation Management Areas, and Wild and Scenic river stretches, the BLM's preferred management alternative (Alternative C) leaves most of these special places open to energy development and degradation by off-road vehicles.

With heavy-handed oil and gas development encroaching on the resource area from all sides - including an additional 4,200 proposed gas wells spanning across the Wyoming border into the Little Snake's Hiawatha area - the importance of protecting these remaining undisturbed lands cannot be overstated. We can learn much from recently conducted research on the devastating effects of aggressive oil and gas development in neighboring states. For instance, in Pinedale, Wyoming, scientists found that mule deer herds declined to almost half their previous size in the first four years of gas development. Pronghorn, elk and sage grouse all face similar risks.

The Little Snake Resource Area does not have to become the next Pinedale. By urging the BLM to adopt Alternative D, the "conservation alternative," with a few important improvements, you can help preserve these priceless wildlands for future generations while still allowing for balanced energy development to take place.