The Daily Sentinel’s June 17 editorial asking for a pragmatic outcome to the battle over drilling the Roan Plateau is naïve. The Roan is a remarkable gem among western Colorado’s natural treasures. Anything short of full protection of federal lands atop the Roan would be a travesty.

The editorial simply repeats a Barrett Corp. press release claiming that “any and all opportunities for settlement are on the table.” Unfortunately, the statement is a lie. Now that the Roan has been leased in its entirety, preservation of its rich ecological resources will require canceling tainted leases that shouldn’t have been let in the first place. Barrett Corp. won’t allow that to happen. Plaintiffs won’t settle for less.

Why the Sentinel parrots industry claims is suspect. Why anyone still believes industry after all that we’ve been through in western Colorado is crazy. They won’t tell us what is in drilling fluids, even when exposed workers and health care professionals fall ill. They don’t disclose spills, like the waterfall of frozen drilling mud below the rim of the plateau that went unreported for months. Their drilling and disposal practices contaminate drinking water. And they spend lots of money to try to win elections.

The Roan represents irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat, a cherished hunting ground, and a window to our past — still clear enough to catch a glimpse of our natural heritage. The Roan remains one of the last best wild places in Colorado. Drilling would change that forever.

To wish for a pragmatic resolution is tantamount to accepting industry claims that development and preservation can happen hand-in-hand. Try telling that to the father teaching his daughter to fish in a gas field or the outfitter whose out-of-state clients won’t come to camp in the shadow of a drill rig.

Peter Hart
Staff Attorney
Wilderness Workshop
Carbondale

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 at 5:04 pm and is filed under Printed letters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.