Recently, two companies that hold leases in the Thompson Divide have put forward a proposal to give up their leases in the Divide for obtaining new leases in Delta, Mesa, and Rio Blanco counties.  This proposal is from the gas industry and was submitted to the western slope’s Congressional delegation.

This morning, SG Interests and Ursa Piceance, two of the largest oil and gas leaseholders in the Thompson Divide, approached Garfield County to ask for a resolution of support for a lease trade. The commissioners directed staff to draft a letter in support of the idea.

Details are still forthcoming, but as we understand it, SG would like to trade its Thompson Divide leases for new leases in Delta County. Similarly, Ursa would like to trade its Thompson Divide leases for acreage in Rio Blanco County. Both companies are actively reaching out to county governments for support.

We at Citizens for a Healthy Community (CHC) just learned of the proposal.  We plan to analyze the details of it carefully to make sure that it’s bringing enduring, meaningful protections and not creating new problems.

Communities on both sides of McClure Pass cherish our public lands.  We share the same values, recreation areas, and water supplies.  Wildlife rely on the range of habitats that span the public lands in the North Fork and the Thompson Divide.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be working to understand the details of this proposal.  Once we understand more about the details, we look forward to engaging with our members and the community before this process moves forward.

We at CHC stand together with our neighbors in the Crystal River and Roaring Fork Valleys.  We will be reviewing this proposal in depth, and continuing to work for the protection that all these important public lands deserve.

Please stay tuned!