Some oil and gas leases close to the Dolores River have been taken off the market by the BLM, according to the Cortez Journal. From the article, "The U.S. Bureau of Land Management sold about $10.4 million in oil-and-gas leases on public lands across Colorado Thursday, but not without pulling or reducing acreage on sales of some parcels along the Dolores River due to protests from local environmental groups. Amber Clark, public lands coordinator with the San Juan Citizens Alliance, said two protested parcels along Snaggletooth Rapid and three near Slickrock were affected. Two of the parcels - one along Snaggletooth and another at Slickrock - were pulled from the sale, while acreage sold was decreased on the other three, Clark said. Clark welcomed the BLM's decision regarding those parcels, pointing out the importance of preserving the river's environmentally vulnerable areas. 'The Dolores River corridor is a spectacular place,' she said. 'Oil-and-gas leases are happening in record numbers.' The San Juan Citizens Alliance, the Wilderness Society, the Colorado Environmental Coalition and the Colorado Mountain Club filed a protest Oct. 25 on the sale of six parcels along the Dolores River, Clark said. Clark said they filed the protest because of potential impacts to the river corridor, especially at Slickrock, and to protect a proposed wilderness area at Snaggletooth Rapid. Susan Thomas, Dolores River campaign coordinator with the Dolores River Coalition, said she was pleased with the BLM's actions. 'I think the BLM is trying,' Thomas said. 'Any time we can mitigate impacts to the Dolores River, ... that's good.'"
Category: Colorado Water
6:20:42 AM 
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