The Bureau of Land Management is deferring all parcels associated with the August oil and gas lease sale in the North Fork Valley.
Reached by telephone this afternoon, Shannon Borders, spokeswoman for the BLM in Montrose, said officials there had no additional comment.
The North Fork Valley is home to one of the highest concentrations of organic farms in Colorado and is one of just two designated wine regions in the state. Wildlife also thrives there.
A delegation of local business owners and residents in the North Fork Valley recently went to Washington, D.C., urging federal officials to withdraw the leases. Protestors also took to the ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen and other highly visible locales.
A few coal mines and dozens of oil and gas wells are already scattered throughout the area, but many residents say additional drilling could be detrimental to the region’s rural economy.
“I am glad to see that the BLM made the right decision,” said Pete Kolbenschlag of Mountain West Strategies in Paonia. “Secretary Salazar’s leasing reforms worked — the agency took a closer look and realized that leasing these parcels was problematic and likely contrary to law and regulation. There will be many celebrations — big and small — in the North Fork Valley tonight. We also owe appreciation to our senators — Michael Bennet and Mark Udall — who helped get a comment extension and who passed along constituent concerns to BLM and others.”
