The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) introduced new resource management plans (RMP) aimed at conserving big game and Gunnison sage-grouse habitats across Colorado while designating high-potential areas for oil and gas development in the Upper Colorado River District.
BLM’s finalized plans include the Big Game and Gunnison Sage-Grouse RMP amendments and detailed management strategies for the Grand Junction and Colorado River Valley field offices. According to the agency, the RMPs resolve prior litigation over past planning efforts.
“The BLM worked tirelessly with local governments, conservation organizations, industry, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders over the past two years to find an appropriate balance, which is achieved with the completion of these plans,” said BLM Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack.
Vilsack continued, “BLM is at the forefront of wildlife conservation in Colorado by aligning oil and gas management in big game habitat with strong state rules and advancing a separate plan that will limit disturbance in the habitat of the threatened Gunnison sage-grouse.”
Big game RMP
On Oct. 17, Vilsack signed a record of decision amending several RMPs that cover all Colorado counties, emphasizing the conservation of big game high-priority habitats while managing oil and gas resources.
The decision area includes 8.3 million acres of BLM-administered surface land, along with approximately 4.7 million acres of federal mineral estate under non-federal ownership (private, local or state).
The RMP establishes guidelines to conserve habitats for species such as elk and mule deer and restricts facility density within big game high-priority habitats to a maximum of one active oil and gas location per square mile. The BLM is also required to consider alternative locations to avoid priority areas or, where unavoidable, minimize impacts as much as possible.
Operators may be required to offset unavoidable impacts with compensatory mitigation, reviewed by the BLM in consultation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. BLM said it may also adapt site-specific operations based on scientific analysis, requiring additional conservation measures as needed to meet the goals of the RMP and ensure habitat protection during all phases of development.
The record of decision stated changes to grazing allotments and forage allocations were considered but were not further analyzed.
Gunnison sage-grouse RMP
Vilsack also signed a record of decision for the Gunnison sage-grouse RMP to promote and maintain the bird’s recovery across its eight populations in southwest Colorado and southeast Utah.
The management plan covers approximately 2.18 million acres of BLM-managed surface land (1.95 million acres in Colorado and 231,220 acres in Utah). The plan prioritizes conservation for both occupied and unoccupied habitat areas. It applies protective buffers around various lek types (active, inactive, historical and unknown) and establishes a 1-mile non-habitat buffer around habitat zones. Additionally, specific management protocols are outlined for the Gunnison Basin and its seven satellite populations to prevent net increases in surface disturbance.
Livestock grazing remains largely unaffected, maintaining access to over 675,000 acres for grazing activities. Renewable energy development is prohibited, and oil, gas and mineral extraction are mostly restricted, with only minimal allowances in designated areas.
To enhance habitat conservation, the amendment designates three new areas of critical environmental concern (ACEC)—Dry Creek Basin, Sapinero Mesa and Chance Gulch—totaling over 41,000 acres, focused on Gunnison sage-grouse protection. Additionally, it establishes the 17,210-acre Sugar Creek Backcountry Conservation Area in the Gunnison Basin to maintain undisturbed public lands, critical wildlife habitat and opportunities for primitive recreation.
Upper CO River District
BLM also approved management strategies for the Grand Junction Field Office, which oversees about 1.06 million acres of BLM-administered surface lands and approximately 1.2 million acres of federal fluid mineral estate, covering parts of Garfield, Mesa, Montrose and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado.
BLM said the RMP will open approximately 85% of high-potential areas for future oil and gas leasing, while most low- and medium-potential areas will be closed. Certain sections will remain closed to fluid mineral leasing to address specific resource concerns within high- and some medium-potential areas.
Additionally, BLM will close five existing ACECs to fluid mineral leasing, expand two ACECs and manage five new areas to preserve wilderness characteristics within the field office area. Grazing would be mostly prohibited in the Atwell Gulch and Pyramid Rock ACECs.
Environmental groups protested during the comment periods of the final environmental impact statements released by BLM, stating the agency did not give priority to the designation and protection of ACECs by not addressing threats to the sage grouse and opening areas to oil and gas development. The groups have not issued any statements regarding the final decisions by BLM. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
