Oil, Gas on Agenda for BLM Advisory Group Today

There’s no such thing as a government meeting on the Western Slope without a discussion about oil and gas on the agenda. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Northwest Resource Advisory Council (RAC) is meeting in Glenwood Springs today and several of the topics will delve into the oil and gas boom on the Western Slope.

There will be an update on the oil and gas reclamation study and a presentation on the basics of federal oil and gas leasing on BLM land. Currently, there are about 5,000 natural gas wells in northwestern Colorado with over 20,000 more wells planned.

In addition, John Harpole of Mercator Energy will present “Natural Gas: From Western Colorado to Western Europe.”

Field managers in the White River, Kremmling, Grand Junction, Little Snake and Glenwood Springs BLM service areas are also scheduled to give updates on their resource management plans.

Members of the council represent energy companies, environmental concerns, ranching, local government, wild horses, recreation, off-road and other interests.There are three Resource Advisory Councils – in the northwest, southwest and Front Range – appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.