Seven representatives were chosen including representatives from various fields and interests. They will join seven other members chosen by the La Plata County commissioners.
The Montezuma County committee members are as follows: Christy Zeller is on a local energy council and will represent industry; Carla Hoehn represents the public at large; Brad White, a Pleasant View farmer, will represent agriculture; Pete Eschallier, co-owner of Kokopelli Bike and Board shop, represents recreation; Dale Davidson, of the Southwest Colorado Canyons Association, represents conservation; split estate landowner Rod Oliver, and James Lambert is a Montezuma County commissioner.
The 14-member working group will hold several meetings over the next year to determine whether a master lease plan is needed and if additional oil-and-gas regulations are warranted. The group will eventually provide recommendations on a proposed master lease plan to the Southwest Resource Advisory committee that reports to the BLM.
Montezuma County has opposed the master leasing plan, arguing that most of the BLM land is off-limits to oil-and-gas development anyway, including the Mesa Verde escarpment and Weber and Menefee wilderness study areas. Also, the commissioners assert that a recently released Resource Management Plan for BLM lands adequately addresses potential industry impacts, as does the Montezuma County Land Use plan.
But they agreed to participate and designated the local committee members pending conditions to be worked out during a meeting with the BLM officials on Nov, 2 at 2:30 p.m.
A key condition is that the commissioners want more coordination with BLM decision-makers, a legal requirement they say is outlined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.
Also, they want full disclosure on who initiated the proposal for the master lease plan (including petitions), how much it will cost the BLM, and that the county may oppose any BLM decision “and take any legal measures necessary to protect the citizens and the county from resulting BLM actions.”
A BLM area that could be developed for oil-and-gas is the Phil’s World biking park east of Cortez. The county argues current BLM and county regulations will protect recreation interests at Phil’s World from industry development.
In addition, to protect the trails the county said it wants to employ Colorado’s 1041 regulations enacted in 1974. The measure allows counties to regulate areas of state interest through a local permitting process.
In an October 26 letter to BLM state director Ruth Welch, the commissioners expressed concern that a master leasing plan will limit oil and gas development in an economic depressed region that needs the jobs.
“Continued oil and gas production is very significant to our future economy,” the letter states. “Sixty percent of the county’s overall tax revenue comes from oil and gas. Any action that could potentially diminish our limited economic potential could be very devastating to our population.”
The commissioners said they will participate in the study process “with an open mind” but expect more coordination from the local and state BLM offices on federal lands management within the county.
“The BLM has now began the process of appeasement by providing special opportunity for the environmental community to express its concerns,” the county concludes in the letter. “We hope the BLM will commit to following its coordination obligations to local government and that the voice of the rest of the Montezuma County citizens will have their voices heard too.”
jmimiaga@the-journal.com