A Canadian company will not move ahead with natural gas exploration plans on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, despite the expiration of an agreement that had barred any work on the ground.

Conservation of prairie dogs in the San Luis Valley will be the subject of a one-day workshop in Alamosa on Aug 18. The workshop, organized by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, is an early step in planning for conservation of the Gunnison's and white-tailed prairie dogs in western and southern Colorado.

To the west of the famous Rio Grande gorge and its towering basalt cliffs is a broad plateau of sagebrush, native grass and remnants of the ancient volcanoes that helped form this rugged landscape. Herds of elk, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep and golden eagles call it home. "This is one of the last undeveloped tracts in the Southwest," said Ron Gardiner, a water policy consultant who is among those who have been spearheading the decades-old effort to protect the area.

Alamosa City Council declined $110,000 in federal stimulus money for a conservation easement Friday because the proposal would not have allowed certain uses on the municipally-owned ranch north of town.

The Vega Commons, San Luis

This radio program discusses how a federal agency has assisted in the land stewardship goals of a local community. Features: Range Management Specialist Cindy Villa, USDA-NRCS (Alamosa County) on the science behind and practice of rotational grazing systems for livestock, as well as her assistance in Costilla County's Open Space program; Costilla County Commissioner Crestina Martinez on the county's progressive Open Space program, which acquires local property in order to preserve historic community uses and ecological functions of the land; Local acequia farmer Larry Mondragon explains the equitable vara strip land allotment system still in place in Costilla County and expresses concern about the effects of impending local over-development on acequia agriculture. Music by Luther Cole.

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29:00 Open Space in Costilla County, Colo.
:30 Promo

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday that a habitat conservation plan focusing on 150 miles of streams in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties will get $120,000. The San Luis Valley Habitat Conservation plan aims to conserve bald eagles, the yellow-billed cuckoo, the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and other species.

Alamosa is looking at two conservation proposals that could bring money to its coffers and a better functioning Rio Grande as the river runs through the 1,300-acre, city-owned ranch north of town.

Over 8,000 acres of private land surrounding the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge are protected. Learn about the process involved in bringing this to fruition.

A broad-based, public-private effort to protect water and wildlife habitat along the Rio Grande secured the protection of more than 2,200 acres and six miles of river after the partners negotiated a series of transactions.

More than 2,200 acres along the Rio Grande gained protection from development Monday, thanks to a $5.7 million effort from a cross section of conservation groups, state agencies and private landowners.

A broad-based, public- private effort to protect water and wildlife habitat along Colorado’s Rio Grande River secured the protection of more than 2,200 acres and six miles of river after the partners successfully negotiated a series of transactions in the past several weeks. Spearheaded by the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT), the Rio Grande Initiative was developed to protect critical private lands along Colorado’s 175 mile reach of the river’s corridor. Voluntary conservation easements have been placed on four ranches resulting in the protection of prime agricultural land in the Rio Grande Corridor that also serves as crucial wildlife habitat. A fifth easement is currently being finalized.

Environmental and citizens groups are in a wait-and-see mode following the approval of two exploratory natural gas wells on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.

Image courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service
Lexam Explorations Inc is pleased to announce that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Lexam's Baca Project located in south-central Colorado. The USFWS' decision was reached based on the results of an Environmental Assessment (EA) conducted by the Service under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The USFWS environmental review process lasted 15 months and involved extensive public meetings, participation, and comment by all interested parties. This decision by the USFWS is the final approval required before Lexam can move forward with its planned exploration for oil and gas. The EA and FONSI are available for download at: http://www.fws.gov/alamosa/BacaNWR.html

"We are delighted that the USFWS has recognized our right to oil and gas exploration and that the Baca Project can move forward under reasonable and responsible conditions designed to protect the environment and the surrounding community. The EA is a very comprehensive document and we believe it will stand up to any scrutiny. The USFWS came to the proper conclusion by issuing a FONSI," said Rob McEwen, Chairman and CEO.

The Baca Project has been consistently challenged by opposition groups and Lexam can make no assurances that the USFWS decision will not be challenged by further legal actions. Such actions could lead to delays or other circumstances that could be undesirable to Lexam and its shareholders. Lexam plans to vigorously defend its right to mineral exploration in the event that a legal challenge threatens to further delay the project.

A San Luis Valley environmental group is alleging that oil and gas industry attorneys and governmental officials acted inappropriately regarding Lexam’s plan to drill exploratory oil and gas wells in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.

A San Luis Valley citizens group and the federal government have reached an agreement on the release of documents related to a proposed oil and gas project on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.

Consider the Rio Grande. It’s the country’s second-longest river, flowing almost 2,000 miles from its Colorado headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the subject of books, songs, dreams. It provides water for agricultural and municipal uses, habitat for wild and native cutthroat trout, a watery escape for anglers across the country.

How does oil and gas development fit with the Rio Grande? The Bureau of Land Management currently intends to lease almost 145,000 acres of the Rio Grande National Forest to the energy industry, potentially altering the traditional uses of the river and lifestyles of people who live nearby.

Photo: The Rocky Mountain News

Reporter Lynn Bartels is accompanying Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer today as he swings through the San Luis Valley on the second day of his four-day campaign trek through southern Colorado. Bob Schaffer has his first protester, an Alamosa resident who disagrees that Schaffer’s Democratic opponent, Mark Udall, is the one responsible for higher gas prices. Mitch Garcia, 46, noted that Schaffer worked for an energy company before stepping down full time in January to campaign. Garcia stood outside the Inn of the Rio Grande in Alamosa holding a sign calling Schaffer “Big Oil Bob.”

SLV Dweller was there as B.O.B. Schaffer visited Conejos and spoke about his (lack of) understanding of the impact that oil and gas exploration would have on the San Luis Valley aquifer:

The only real impact that oil exploration has is the truck that drills the hole about this big and that is only for a short time and then it goes away.

—B.O.B. Schaffer

Joe Mestas pointed to the flattop formations that surround the small town and noted that federal agencies last year wanted to lease them to energy companies looking for natural gas. Fearing the impact of the fracturing chemicals used in the extraction, locals objected, and through pressure from lawmakers, got the areas withdrawn. "I understand we all like the energy, but we don't want it to be rampant exploration," Mestas said. "If there is a chemical spill, all the drilling companies say is 'Oops, it was an accident,' " Mestas, 59, said. But "if you ruin this aquifer, you've dried up this whole valley."

Shaffer went on to discuss why he thought it was better that private companies owned vast amounts of land rather than the federal government. He witnessed a forest fire that had burned vast amounts of trees, but stopped almost in a straight line. He explained that the unburned forest was owned by a lumber company who needed the trees, but that the trees that were burned belonged to the national forest and explained that the private company needed the trees, but the government didn't, so they let this burn, therefore, he went on, privately owned land is better taken care of.

But doesn't this instead suggest that the people who work for the government and in charge of these natural resources are inept? People who enjoy the natural beauty and respect the natural resources on land protected and managed by the federal government DO need the trees and if a private company could protect their assets, certainly the wealthiest nation could do so also when it comes to wilderness, national forest or other federally owned property. Perhaps we need to elect senators who have the interest of the people and the assets of the nation before the interests of corporations.

Schaffer's campaign, which was scheduled to come through seven towns in the valley, missed a scheduled stop at a La Jara gas station. Schaffer supporters Paul and Mary Robbins, who live near Waverly in southwestern Alamosa County, were among those waiting in La Jara. The Robbins, who lived in Fort Lupton when Schaffer served as a congressman for the 4th Congressional District from 1996 to 2003, said politicians should tell environmentalists to get out of the way so drilling could commence offshore.

For the second time in little more than a year a San Luis Valley environmental protection group is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the Lexam Exploration’s oil/gas exploration proposal on the Baca wildlife refuge near Crestone.

There are no drilling rigs in Saguache County, but should they ever dot the horizon, county officials are prepared.

In the San Luis Valley, a huge chunk of land is being protected, including the Nature Conservancy's Zapata Ranch. Photographer Angie Varela brings us the pictures...Watch