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Some bad proposals will harm the land
Grape Creek Proposals <><> Open for Public Comment...
There aretwo bad proposals on public landsat or near Grape Creek, just southwest of Canon City and the Arkansas River that need your public comment.
See the map below (or click here) for the locations of the mineral lease proposal at Grape Creek State Trust Land and oil and gas lease proposal at Temple Canyon, as well as their proximity and/or containment in valued areas, including the Grape Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and the 2018 Grape Creek Proposed Wilderness.
New Mineral Lease at Grape Creek Stewardship Trust Land Public Comment Period: OPEN until Dec 15, 2018
The Colorado State Land Board (SLB) is considering an application for a new mineral lease, likely gold, on the 604 acre section of state trust land: Grape Creek-Horseshoe Mountain. This has a public comment period open until December 15, 2018
The Grape Creek-Horseshoe Mountain parcel is a SLB Stewardship Trust Land, allowing"only those uses that will protect and enhance the beauty, natural values, open space and wildlife habitat of those lands,"except for pre-existing uses or management practices.
The Colorado Wilderness Act of 2018 features this Trust parcel within its proposed Grape Creek Wilderness. In addition to wilderness qualities and great backcountry recreation access, the land’s identified natural values include “rare plants (Arkansas Canyon stickleaf,Nuttallia densa, potential for Degener beardtongue), wildlife/wildlife habitat, open space connectivity, and beauty.” Grape Creek’s pristine waters and downstream water supplies, including the Arkansas River, are at risk from mining activity. The SLB designated this Stewardship Trust parcel in 1998, nominated by strong supporters, the Sierra Club and Wild Connections. Under State Land Board policy, the Director“shall review and evaluate whether the new use will adversely affect the natural values of the property.” Through the processes of mapping, surface sampling, ground exploration, drilling, and, if the mining is approved, road building, tunneling, and massive mine waste disposal, there is no way that the land’s identified natural values can survive. Your comments in support of protection for the Grape Creek-Horseshoe Mountain, Stewardship Trust land are needed SOON, BY DECEMBER 15, 2018. Contact: Mari Johnson, Colorado State Land Board Stewardship Trust Manager 1127 Sherman Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80203-2206 (303) 866-3454 ext. 3337; mari.johnson@state.co.us The proposed new mineral lease application will be presented to the State Land Board at its January 10, 2019 meeting. If you can, please attend and speak out in favor of Stewardship Trust protection for the Grape Creek-Horseshoe Mtn. State Trust parcel. For details: www.colorado.gov/statelandboard.
BLM RGFO March 2019 Lease Sales Public Comment Period: OPEN until Dec 14, 2018
The BLM Royal Gorge Field Office (RGFO) is seeking additional public comments on two parcels totaling 602 acres of federal oil and gas leases on public lands around Canon City, available for public lease in the upcoming March 2019 competitive oil and gas lease sale. This follows up a recent public scoping period that was from Oct. 1 to 16, 2018.
The primary parcel in the RGFO, Parcel ID: 8423, is adjacent to Canon City's popular Temple Canyon City Park at Grape Creek, just southwest of town, which is also adjacent to BLM's Grape Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), Colorado Natural Heritage Program's Grape Creek Potential Conservation Area (PCA), and Dianna DeGette's 2018 Grape Creek Proposed Wilderness.
The BLM analyzed impacts for this lease proposal but did not apply any stipulations to minimize or mitigate the impacts.
They did not even evaluate for an alternative to mitigate these impacts, despite the ongoing Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan (ECRMP) revision.
Grape Creek at Grand Canyon Hills. Photo Wild Connections.
Based on the local conservation, recreation, and wildlife values in this area,please recommend in your comments to the BLM to defer the parcel altogether, or at least apply a Non-Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulation.
For more information on BLM Colorado's March 2019 lease sales, and helpful tips when submitting comments, please visitBLM's e-planning website, with BLM's RGFO three-page scoping parcel list, brief info, and map PDFhere.
To submit comments, follow the appropriate links on BLM's e-planning website above, orgo directly toBLM's e-planning page here, and click on "Comment on Document" in the lower Right Corner for the "RGFO_EA_Comment_March2019" Document.
If you are interesting in making a public comment on oil and gas lease sales, however need more guidance or info, Rocky Mountain Wild has a great O&G Toolbox for Activists available here: http://rockymountainwild.org/ogtoolbox.
