BLM releases EA for South Shale Ridge

GRAND JUNCTION—The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office released a revised Environmental Assessment addressing oil and gas leasing on 27,635 acres of public land in the South Shale Ridge area in remote Mesa and Garfield Counties. The 30-day public comment period begins April 21, 2005 with the release of the EA.

“We have taken a hard look at both internal and external feedback received on the initial EA issued last year,” BLM Grand Junction Assoc. Field Manager Raul Morales said. “In response, the revised document better reflects a wider range of management options.”

The South Shale Ridge area currently contains 13 producing and 12 non-producing wells. The 1987 Grand Junction Resource Management Plan (RMP) authorizes oil and gas leasing in the area. The RMP has been amended 12 times since its signing to ensure its relevance to current land management issues.

Of the 27,635 acres, 27,049 acres have stipulations applying to oil and gas activity to protect other natural resources in the area, ranging from protection for big game winter range to scenic and natural values.

Public input is critical to the BLM planning process. Detailed comments help inform decision making on public land. For consideration, comments on this EA must be submitted either by writing to BLM Grand Junction Field Office, Attention: SSR, 2815 H Rd., Grand Junction, Colorado 81506, or email coSSRea@blm.gov. Receipt and consideration of comments by other means cannot be guaranteed by the BLM. Submission by mail is recommended to ensure your public comments are received. The comment period closes on May 21, 2005.

For additional information, contact Jane Ross at (970) 244-3027.

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