Category: News (Older posts)

BLM issued its draft Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan in June. CWF, joined by NWF, submitted our comment letter on September 20.  This draft plan includes public lands it manages in iconic South Park. The South Park preferred alternative largely is consistent with the recommendations developed through hard work since 2015 by CWF, NWF, Park County, water providers, TU, TRCP and other diverse interests.  CWF had applied for special attention to South Park within the eastern Colorado planning area back in 2011. Our objective has been to safeguard wildlife habitats and waters managed by BLM there.  We are gratified that the collaborative effort over these many years has been largely recognized in this draft plan.   The South Park portion of the draft plan illustrates how the local community and an array of interests can work effectively with BLM to ensure impacts to unfragmented vital wildlife habitats and streams, lakes, and reservoirs will be minimized if future oil and gas development occurs.

Here are a few of the comments CWF made to the draft plan on September 20: Generally we are in support of Preferred Alternative D as it pertains to South Park.  We are particularly in support of the the 1,312 feet setbacks from South Park’s South Platte River and waters containing native cutthroat trout, and within 2,641 feet of the iconic Gold Medal streams. We requested particular attention to protect migratory corridors in South Park. We urge that state wildlife areas be closed to future oil and gas leasing. We urge that occupied bighorn sheep habitat be designated either a “Backcountry Conservation Area” or as no surface occupancy for oil and gas.

For information on the draft plan, here is the link. And under this link is another link – this second link is to our comment  letter.  Call or email us if you wish to discuss our comments.

eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do

http://coloradowildlife.org/cwf-nwf-comment-letter-re-draft-ec-rmp/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Shelby Wieman | shelby.wieman@state.co.us| 303-957-6011

Gov. Polis Signs Executive Order to Conserve Colorado Wildlife and Habitat, While Protecting Public Safety

DENVER – Gov. Jared Polis today signed an executive order that supports Colorado’s wildlife, their habitat and migratory routes, while protecting public safety. Habitat loss poses a significant risk to Colorado’s wildlife populations. With Colorado’s growing population and increased travel across the state, nearly 4,000 wildlife-vehicle crashes are reported each year. That’s an estimated $80 million in damages, not including the value of wildlife killed or the impact on the health of wildlife populations.

“Colorado’s natural beauty and wildlife are part of why so many people love our great state,” said Governor Jared Polis.“This is a step toward better understanding and protecting the migratory patterns of Colorado’s wildlife populations and ensuring we can preserve our treasured animals and their habitats.”

Colorado has seen success with a number of wildlife passages around the state, most notably with Highway 9 south of Kremmling through the Blue River Valley. Over an 11 year stretch, there were more than 650 wildlife-vehicle collisions on this section of highway. Through collaboration, a wildlife passage project was completed in November 2016 and consists of two wildlife overpass structures, five wildlife underpasses, 10.4 miles of eight-foot-high wildlife exclusion fencing, 61 wildlife escape ramps, and 29 wildlife guards to help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions while providing safe passages for wildlife. This executive order opens the door for more projects like this.

The executive order takes a number of steps to ensure conservation of Colorado’s big game winter range and migration corridors:

• The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will take a closer look at exactly where these animals are and how they’re moving around the state. This analysis will be continually updated, include assessment of top threats and identify key data gaps and other barriers.
• DNR will also identify policy, regulatory and legislative opportunities to ensure ongoing conservation of seasonal big game habitat and migration corridors based on the latest available scientific data.
• The Department of Transportation (CDOT) will incorporate ongoing consideration of big game migration into all levels of its planning process in order to enable safe wildlife passage and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
• CDOT and DNR will enter a formal Memorandum of Understanding to achieve the goals of this Executive Order.

Read the full executive order here.

The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019 has been introduced in the House and Senate on May 16, 2019. In the Senate the bill was introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). In the House the bill was introduced by Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).

The bill, if passed, will create a National Wildlife Corridors Program. H.R. 7232 link www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/7232/text

In Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife listed migratory corridors in our state last year and set its top priorities on the West Slope in the northwest and southwest. CWF is working with partners on willdife corridors and movement areas in the Upper Rio Grande, in South Park and elsewhere.

The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019 has been introduced in the House and Senate on May 16, 2019. In the Senate the bill was introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). In the House the bill was introduced by Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).

The bill, if passed, will create a National Wildlife Corridors Program. H.R. 7232 link www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/7232/text

In Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife listed migratory corridors in our state last year and set its top priorities on the West Slope in the northwest and southwest. CWF is working with partners on willdife corridors and movement areas in the Upper Rio Grande, in South Park and elsewhere.

The bill to alter the mission of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was signed into law by Governor Polis on April 16. The law has changed the oil and gas statute and now prioritizes protection of public safety, health, welfard and the environment. As to wildlife, the upcoming rulemaking process to update the oil and gas rules under the new law offers an opportunity to iprove safeguards for sensitive wildlife habitats (the 1200 Series of the oil and gas rules). Stay tuned.

The bill to alter the mission of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was signed into law by Governor Polis on April 16. The law has changed the oil and gas statute and now prioritizes protection of public safety, health, welfard and the environment. As to wildlife, the upcoming rulemaking process to update the oil and gas rules under the new law offers an opportunity to iprove safeguards for sensitive wildlife habitats (the 1200 Series of the oil and gas rules). Stay tuned.