Skip Navigation
Save the Rockies! Say No to the "Drill It All" Policy

photo of oil rigsThe Rocky Mountains are known for their rugged landscape, rushing rivers, and pristine wildlife. But today the health and beauty of the Rockies are being threatened by rampant oil and gas drilling across the region, from Utah’s canyonlands, to Colorado’s Roadless National Forests, to New Mexico’s rare desert grasslands.

In addition to scarring the landscaping with oil and gas rigs, the Bush administration’s rush to drill has needlessly threatened many species of wildlife and harmed air and water quality in the region. This is particularly troubling given that smart and easy solutions for improving energy efficiency and harnessing renewable power exist that would eliminate the need for more harmful drilling. 

Take action and tell the Bush administration to stop endangering the Rockies through irresponsible oil and gas drilling!

Are you having trouble with this page? Click here.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Stop destroying the Rockies with rampant oil and gas drilling

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to request that you stop harmful energy development on our most fragile public lands in the Rocky Mountains and start employing an energy strategy that will lead to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

As you know, the BLM has already leased more than 85 percent of U.S. oil and gas holdings in the region, and continues to issue more drilling permits despite the fact that three quarters of leased lands are not currently in production. This rampant push to drill has led to the unnecessary endangerment of the Rockies' natural environment. Once pristine vistas are now scattered with oil and gas rigs, threatening wildlife and diminishing air and water quality.

Moving away from old, fossil fuel-intensive federal policies toward cleaner and cheaper renewable energy sources would go a long way towards addressing these problems, and is especially important in light our growing understanding global warming. For instance, wind power has the potential to dramatically increase energy production in the Rockies without producing any air pollution.

I urge you to strongly consider revamping our energy policy away from widespread oil and gas drilling so that the Rocky Mountains' natural environment will be protected and all of America can enjoy a sustainable energy future.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
November 16, 2006


Background Information

 
 Colorado Monument near Grand Junction

The Rockies' natural beauty make them a wonderful place to live and a popular destination for people looking to experience the great outdoors. In 2001, Colorado  collected over $2 billion in economic activity from hunting and fishing alone. Tourism represents ten percent of the state's economy. Many people who live there and drive the local economies do so because it's a great place to be outside. Others visit from across the nation and around the world to experience the grandeur of the American West. The current push to drill the Rockies thus threatens not only the pristine wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes, but also an increasingly important part of the regional economy.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the primary agency responsible for issuing permits to drill for oil and gas on federal lands in the Rocky Mountain region. To date, the agency has opened more than 85 percent of BLM lands to oil and gas drilling. The BLM continues to roll out more drilling permits every year, despite the fact that three quarters of leased lands are not currently in production. This rampant push to open the Rockies to energy development and the severe impacts that drilling has on the land, water, and air, has unnecessarily endangered the region's natural environment.

In addition to harming wildlife, drilling for oil and gas also has severe effects on air and water quality, as well as the quality of life for local communities.

  •  
    In the 166-square mile Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming, no point is further than a half-mile from drilling infrastructure
    Habitat fragmentation     caused by the construction of roads, well pads, waste pits, pipelines, and other infrastructure required for drilling, blocks the migration routes of wildlife. Habitat fragmentation threatens the survival of many wildlife herds and populations, such as the mule deer and pronghorn antelope in the Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming.
  • Waste pits are used to separate any water that is extracted along with the oil. When left exposed, waste pits pose serious threats for local wildlife, claiming the lives of over two million migratory birds a year.
  • Oil and gas infrastructure, such as compressors, trucks, diesel rigs, and dehydrators, emit massive amounts of nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, and other dangerous pollutants. The release of these pollutants has led to health hazards, increased haze in our National Parks and Wilderness Areas, and an assortment of environmental problems, such as the acidification of alpine streams and lakes.
  • Water quality in the Rockies is threatened by hydraulic fracturing, a technique used by gas companies to loosen rock and maximize the flow of gas to the surface. This procedure involves injecting a mix of water, sand, and chemicals, such as benzene, arsenic, and lead, into the ground. These toxic chemicals can seep into the surrounding soil and groundwater, contaminating local drinking water. Drinking water supplies in the cities of both Grand Junction and Palisade in northwestern Colorado are currently in danger of being contaminated by hydraulic fracturing. 
  • Oil and gas development tends to bring with it an increase in trucks carrying equipment to and from drill sites and ongoing noise from drill rigs operating around the clock, oftentimes within 150 feet of peoples' homes. These problems, along with a host of health concerns, such as asthma, dizziness, and headaches, have forced many long-time residents to relocate out of the region. 

A better way
Earthjustice At Work

Earthjustice has long been working through the courts to protect important wildlife and public lands from dangerous oil and gas drilling activity, such as:

While we don't oppose oil and gas drilling on appropriate public lands, the Bush administration is pushing for development at such a rapid rate that the BLM is unable to keep up with its responsibilities of protecting the air, water, wildlife and cultural resources of all Americans. Because of this imbalance, the Rocky Mountain region is paying the price to fuel America's energy addiction.

A cleaner, more sustainable path exists. Moving away from old, fossil fuel-intensive federal policies toward cleaner and cheaper renewable energy sources would go a long way towards addressing these problems, and is especially important in light our growing understanding of the increasingly critical issue of global warming.

For instance, wind power has the potential to increase energy production in the Rockies by five times its current output (about 20 percent of western United States electricity needs) without emitting any air pollution. Wind power can also be a cheaper alternative  (currently the least expensive source of electricity in Colorado, Montana, Texas, and Oklahoma) and it provides two to three times more jobs than traditional gas or coal development. 

Another logical solution to our energy needs would be to provide greater incentives for implementing existing energy efficiency technology. By increasing energy efficiency by twenty percent, a reasonable goal, the need for 200 new coal- or gas-fired power plants would be eliminated. 

Something must be done to curtail the harmful effects of drilling for oil and gas in the Rockies and to put us on a path for a more sustainable future. Since the U.S. holds only 7 percent of the world's natural gas and 2 percent of its oil, we will never achieve energy independence by relying on oil and gas. Improving our energy efficiency and investing in renewable power instead of increasing our dependence on dirty fossil fuels is a good start. Tell the Bush administration that you think the Rocky Mountains are too valuable to be sacrificed, and that you want to start charting out a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable future!

To send your own letter directly to the BLM, please mail to:

Kathleen Clarke
Director, Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW, Room 3316
Washington, DC 20240