For Immediate Release: June 22, 2004
Contact: Walt Brown  (970) 385-1304
Ann Bond  (970) 385-1219
Vaughn Whatley (303)-239-3766
 

Public Meetings Set for Northern San Juan Basin Coalbed Methane Proposal

The public will have the opportunity to learn about and comment on the Northern San Juan Basin Coalbed Methane Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) at eight public involvement meetings hosted by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service this summer. The first meeting will be in the format of a public hearing on Wed., July 14, from 6-10 p.m. at the Bayfield High School Cafetorium, 800 CR 501, Bayfield, Colorado. Citizens will be able to offer oral comments, which will be recorded for the official record.

Four open houses will follow to offer information and answer questions on the proposed development of coal bed natural gas in the Northern San Juan Basin of Colorado:

• Mon., July 19, 4 - 7 p.m., San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, DurangoTues.,
• July 20, 4 - 7 p.m., Archuleta County Fairgrounds Extension Building, 344 Highway 84, Pagosa Springs
• Wed., July 21, 4 - 7 p.m., Bayfield High School Cafetorium, 800 CR 501, Bayfield
• Wed., July 28, 4 – 7 p.m., Able Atencio Community Room, Ignacio Municipal Complex, 570 Goddard Avenue, Ignacio

Additional public meetings in August will be sponsored by a subcommittee of the BLM Southwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the Secretary of the Interior on public land issues in southwestern Colorado. Public comments may be presented orally or in writing to the subcommittee. The RAC-sponsored meetings will be:

• Wed., August 11, 6 – 9 p.m., Bayfield High School Cafetorium, 800 CR 501, Bayfield
• Tues., August 17, 6 – 9 p.m., Archuleta County Fairgrounds Extension Building, 344 Highway 84, Pagosa Springs
• Thurs., August 19, 6 – 9 p.m., San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango

The Draft EIS studies a proposal by six energy companies to develop approximately 300 new coalbed methane wells on federal lands in the Northern San Juan Basin of southwestern Colorado. The analysis area encompasses 125,000 acres north of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in La Plata and Archuleta counties. Although the EIS considers cumulative effects from development on private lands, it will make no decisions involving private property.

CD copies of the Draft EIS are available at the San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, 970 247-4874, and Columbine Public Lands Office, 367 Pearl Street, Bayfield, 970 884-2512. The large two-volume document is also available for review at these offices and at public libraries in Durango, Bayfield and Farmington. Hard copies are available upon request, but are very costly to produce. The Draft EIS may also be viewed on the Web: www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan or www.nsjb-eis.org.

Written public comments will be accepted until September 13, 2004, and can be mailed to Northern San Juan Basin CBM EIS, USDA FS Content Analysis Team, P.O. Box 221150, Salt Lake City, UT 84122. Comments may also be emailed to: nbasin-cbm-eis@fs.fed.us

For more information, contact Walt Brown or Jim Powers at 970 385-1304.

 -BLM-