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October 04, 2010 11:37 PM UTC

Rep. Salazar Stands Up for West Slope Ranchers, Local Communities

  • 34 Comments
  • by: ClubTwitty

Yesterday Congressman John Salazar issued a news release indicating his support for protecting the Thompson Divide area in Western Colorado.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John T. Salazar met this morning with the Thompson Divide Coalition and local elected officials and announced his intent to draft legislation to protect the Thompson Divide land and water resources.  

…The area of interest lies between the Grand and Battlement Mesas and the main stem of the Rocky Mountains and would protect key watersheds used by residents and ranchers of the Crystal and Roaring Fork Valleys.  These are some of the most popular hunting and fishing lands in Colorado as well as snowmobiling, mountain and motor biking, horseback riding, and backcountry skiing.  

At Sunday’s meeting, John listed to their proposals and signaled his intent to work with them to introduce legislation in the 112th Congress.  John’s goal through legislation will be to protect the local water and land by allowing existing natural gas and oil leases to expire without renewal.  The Coalition also plans to work with the oil and gas industry to purchase some leases for key parcels they are concerned with protecting.  

The Thompson Divide area has long been a priority for protection among local communities, conservationists, hunters, anglers and ranchers that rely on the water these areas provide. Portions of the landscape are part of several citizen-initiated wilderness proposals.

Congressman Salazar made the following remarks at the meeting, according to the news release:

“I want to applaud you for all your hard work over the years.  Ranching is my passion.  And I will always stand with my fellow ranchers.  I suggest we begin the process of drafting legislation with the understanding the bill won’t likely be done until next Congress.  We’ll work together to get a hearing scheduled out here so Members of Congress can see firsthand the value of protecting this water and land.  

“You have done everything I asked.  You got all the stakeholders on board, gathered community support, and the support of Gunnison, Pitkin and Garfield Counties.  I’ve heard from countless local ranchers concerned over the quality of water and their ability to sustain their operation. These areas are at the very top of the watershed and thousands of downstream water users and ranching operations depend on these precious water resources for their survival.  This is the beginning of the next chapter in our shared effort and working together I am confident we will be successful.”

The Thompson Divide area rises from near Carbondale, where red rock fins contrast sharply with the surrounding greenery along this important riparian area, through montane forests to sub-alpine ecosystems atop Assignation Ridge and beyond into the roadless lands around Clear Fork. The Thompson Divide Coalition notes on its website:  

The Thompson Divide area includes 221,500 acres of Federal land in Pitkin County (88,100 acres), Gunnison County (51,700 acres), Garfield County (43,500 acres), Mesa County (30,500 acres), and Delta County (7,700 acres).  

…The Thompson Divide Area is defined by abundant wildlife and wildlife habitat, essential watersheds, and environmental, economic, agricultural, recreational, and social values.  The area provides clean water for irrigation  and domestic use and crucial summer range for local ranchers with federal grazing permits. Thompson Divide is an important migration corridor providing key habitat for lynx, moose, bear, deer, and elk, as well as a variety of small mammals, and birds. The area includes parts of the largest contiguous aspen forest in the US and biologically unique fens. The area remains as one of the last great swaths of undeveloped mid-elevation forestland in the State.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (pdf) notes that the area provides “essential habitat” for:

mammals, birds, herptiles, fish, etc., including but not limited to:

• Elk and mule deer summer range, elk summer concentration

• Elk winter range

• Elk production area

• Black bear summer range and fall concentration area

• Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in North Thompson and Middle Thompson creeks

• Forest carnivores – Movement, dispersal, denning etc. for lynx.

The area is also a popular backcountry recreation  spot, for the growing communities in the Roaring Fork Valley.

President of the Thompson Divide Coalition, Jock Jacober, praised the congressman’s efforts:

“We’re absolutely thrilled.  Thompson Divide Coalition has been working on this for several years now and the fact that John Salazar took time from his busy schedule to come forward and meet with all the constituents from our area, the board of Thompson Divide,  John Martin, Dorthea Farris, and George Newman just shows level of generosity and concern that Congressman Salazar has for the area and we’re thrilled this process is moving forward.”

Currently there are over 80 existing oil and gas leases in the region proposed for protection, although conservation groups believe a number were issued illegally –inside National Forest roadless areas while the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule was in effect.  

A pending decision in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals may cancel those leases, although a number of leases issued prior to that rule would still remain valid.  Proponents of protecting these lands hope to work with oil and gas leaseholders to buy back or let these leases expire (leases are issued on ten-year terms, unless held by production, unitized with others that are, or if the clock is stopped due to legal challenges or other administrative action).  

Rep. Salazar’s support, and the growing coalition of diverse stakeholders, local governments, and concerned citizens, bodes well for these important lands and the hope that they might be protected–as they are today–for future generations and the lives and livelihoods that depend upon them today.  

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34 thoughts on “Rep. Salazar Stands Up for West Slope Ranchers, Local Communities”

  1. Directly from the congressman’s PR camp … I expected more then this though. Over 1,000 words and yet little in terms of an issue.

    Tipton is a conservationist too and like the congressman he too wants the 10%+ western slope unemployment to get back down. Tipton supports a balanced job creating approach to Oil and Gas, Transportation, Recreaction, Ranching/AGBiz and the Environment.

        1. I grew up over there and fully support Salazar’s intent. Even though Delta County is 102.75% Republican, I don’t see what they’d have to lose here. Delta doesn’t have near the investment in O&G as Garfield. Without a map of the proposal, I can’t tell if it might bump up against the coal industry, though. They’re pretty protective of that — and real estate developers.

          1. Most of it lies easterly of the Collbran/Silt rd. (where it junctions w/ HWY 133).  The coal areas are west of that, but also impact/encroach on some important roadless lands.  

            Many of the leases, however, on the Delta/Gunnison county side, are owned by Gunnison Energy Corp., a subsidiary of Oxbow–which operates one of the three mines in the valley.  Gunnison/Oxbow is owned by Bill Koch–the other (estranged) Koch brother.  

          1. is an inspirational model of how American society should be. (the “lower classes” anyway)

            Why else would they advocate policies Like Hoovers… Policies that will surely return America to the darkest days of the great Depression.

  2. I know CPols is a Democrat-based blog, but it still usually provides polemical stories and witty banter in the comments section.

    However, in the last week or so it has become nothing more than a press release outlet for Dems who are in tough elections and/or a place to post stories about R’s doing dumb stuff who are in tough elections. This is followed up with comment sections that are hyper-partisan to say the least.  CPols consists mostly of H-man/BJWilson saying annoying Republican things, and almost everyone else saying annoying Dem things.

    I realize there is an election a few weeks out, but it is getting to be a little too much.  Pols is losing what makes it fun to read: actual thinking.

    Rant over.  

    1. And support it’s protection.  I have been critical of my congressman as well, when he has voted in a manner or said things that I disagree with.

      I try to give props when deserved, and these are deserved.  

      1. Club Twitty: I think you are much better than most. Your comments and diaries are always thought provoking and insightful  Just want to make that clear.

        My little rant isnt just targeting this diary. I just got fed up when this popped up.

        Lets be honest though, this is really just about Salazar being in electoral trouble.  That is the reason he put out the release, and likely, the reason he had these meetings.  No legislation has even been introduced and I wouldnt doubt if it never was introduced.

        1. and discussions with staff, etc.

          I have no doubt that Salazar wants his base to be motivated, and this is a popular position to take.  If he’s back in the 112th I think he’ll follow through with legislation.  Perhaps I’m naive.  

          Thanks, although sometimes I get dragged into the mud.  I need to watch that.  

          1. You could be naive, but its just as likely that I am getting a little jaded.  

            Thanks for the adult conversation. It has been a while since one of these has been recorded on CPols.  

    3. You make my head ache just thinking about thinking.

      However, if you’re more comfortable with thinking than I am, you might consider addressing the actual issue in the thread, an issue which (though obviously with partisan impetus) should be bi-partisan in nature, which it appears to be to the folks actually on the ground over there.

      And since Salazar is a DINO, I don’t expect to see much here of a hyper-partisan nature. Oh, of course, there’s Lib., but he’s easy to ignore.

    4. Beej made the cut and he’s as ignorant as they come. Because there are fewer rightie participants the standards seem to me to be much lower for them to get stuff in. I mean Beej, H-man and Libertad are almost entirely fact free.

      1. example Congressman Markey … in ad after ad every night she is denying she voted for the Democrat led stimulus or bailouts.

        The people want to understand your positions and why they are good for America, yet here you have Markey flailing double digits under Gardner and she’s denying Democrat positions.

        It just doesn’t add up and the functional unemployment of 17-18% is but one fact causing a serious headwind.

        America is weeping, have you no dignity?

        1. take health care for instance. Democrats would be proud of Health care if it was not loaded with unworkable republican crap. Crap added to it, in a vein attempt to include republicans.

          Now if health care were purely Democrat. That is a single payer system removing the greed of the insurance middleman.

          Democrats would be all bout it. (and you Libertard, would be complaining about something else the Evil Democrats did.)

          unfortunately should a Democrat tout the good stuff in the Health care bill.

          Like No preexisting conditions,

          keeping 26yo kids on the parents policy,

          Insurance cannot lifetime cap

          or

          insurance companies cannot cancel you if you got sick.

          Republicans would only point out the bad parts blaming them on Democrats. when republicans inserted that stuff to undermine the bill in the first place.

          SAD republicans cannot take personal responsibility for their own actions.

          “must blame Democrats for every thing”. IS Bullshit and devoid of reality.

            1. to actually stick around and deal with reality means they are willing to Lose the argument.

              republican arrogance prevents that sort of truth coming to light.

        2. Or write your own diary.  Your comments suck, and your lack of manners reveals your poor upbringing.  Note, this diary is about Rep. Salazar and Thompson Divide.  

  3. Rep. Sal Pace despite having a very easy race has done a large TV buy.  The only reason to do this is to raise his name ID in case his former boss should lose.

    You would think Sal could better use the money on GOTV.  

    On election night if John Salazar should lose look at Sal’s big crocodile tears.  

    2. Let me take a brief break from my posting hiatus to say that that’s frickin’ hilarious. Thank you for proving that you know nothing about CD-3 politics.

      Hee hee. Thanks. That was great.

    3. Sal Pace is actively involved with the coordinated campaign’s GOTV effort in Pueblo.  He is a frequent volunteer for Salazar.  He remains close with Salazar and helps out the Salazar campaign – just walk into their Pueblo office any given day & Pace is usually there.  I don’t think a $5000 cable tv buy in Pueblo constitutes a major purchase.  Pace is looking at legislative leadership next year and would much rather stay in the House for a while.

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