Energy lobby marshals forces

Oil, gas drillers preparing to fight for rights on Roan

As Congress debates a bill today that would block energy development on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau, the Denver oil and gas lobby is preparing to roll out a counter-blitzkrieg.

Colorado Democratic Reps. John Salazar and Mark Udall say a provision in the Energy Independence Act would bar the federal Bureau of Land Management from allowing companies to drill in public lands on top of the Roan Plateau. Congress is expected to vote on the bill today.
The scenic Roan, beloved by hunters and anglers for its wilderness backcountry and diverse wildlife, is estimated to contain enough natural gas to heat 9 million homes for nine years.

America’s push for energy independence and the rising price of oil and gas underscore the need for drilling atop the Roan in a responsible manner, Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman said Thursday.

A newly formed nonprofit in Denver, Americans for American Energy, has raised tens of thousands of dollars to launch a campaign in the coming weeks to push for drilling on the Roan, also known as U.S. Naval Oil Shale Reserves. But the group is experiencing teething pains.

Rocky Mountain News