We, the undersigned, urgently call on the Bureau of Land Management to halt the oil and gas lease sale that threatens Plateau Valley. This proposed sale—identified as CO-2025-12-6155 Split Estate—encompasses approximately 722 acres on Plateau Valley’s Red Mountain, land vital to our community’s natural heritage. Although the surface rights are privately owned, the mineral rights remain under BLM control. In this split estate arrangement, federal decisions on mineral development can proceed largely independent of local input, posing significant challenges to community control and environmental protection.

Why We Must Act

🌲Natural Landscape:
Plateau Valley is renowned for its pristine, scenic beauty and unique ecosystems. Oil and gas development would disrupt this delicate balance and alter the character of our land forever.

💧Water Quality:
The lease sale paves the way for drilling and extraction activities that risk contaminating our vital water sources—endangering community health and local wildlife habitats.

🌎Environmental Impacts: Industrial activity associated with oil and gas extraction brings risks of habitat destruction, cumulative environmental degradation, and long-term ecological harm. Notably, planning documents reveal that current studies lack a comprehensive cumulative impact analysis and up-to-date baseline environmental data, which are essential for predicting and mitigating these risks.

🐮Impacts on Grazing:
Local ranchers and agricultural communities rely on healthy, productive grazing lands. The proposed development endangers these lands, putting traditional livelihoods and local food production at serious risk.

🏞️Irreplaceable Public Lands:
Our public lands are a legacy for all Americans. Once exploited for oil and gas, these lands cannot be fully restored. Protecting them is essential for preserving our nation’s heritage and ensuring future generations can enjoy these natural treasures.

⚖️Complex Legal and Financial Structures:
The lease sale’s split estate arrangement means that, despite private surface ownership, the BLM-controlled mineral rights allow federal decisions to be made without local consent. Detailed legal descriptions (e.g., “Sec. 4 SE1/4SW1/4; Sec. 5 LOTS 1,2; Sec. 5 S/1/2NE1/4, N/1/2SE1/4, SW1/4SE1/4; Sec. 9 E1/2; Sec. 16 NW1/4NW1/4, NE1/4SE1/4”) precisely define the affected parcels, complicating efforts to secure broader environmental safeguards. Moreover, the project planning documents highlight additional gaps in the studies—such as the absence of long-term post-operational restoration and monitoring plans and insufficient socioeconomic and community impact assessments—that further underscore the risks of proceeding without a complete review. For full project details, see the BLM project page: Project Planning Page

Our Demands

🛑Immediate Suspension:
Suspend the current lease sale process for Plateau Valley until a thorough, independent environmental review is conducted—one that fully addresses the split estate complications and the identified gaps (including cumulative impact analysis, updated baseline data, long-term restoration plans, and expanded community impact assessments).

🚫Exclusion of Vulnerable Areas:
Permanently exclude the 722 Plateau Valley acres from any oil and gas lease agreements to safeguard its natural, cultural, and community resources.

☎️Meaningful Community Engagement:
Initiate direct and inclusive dialogue with local communities, ranchers, environmental experts, and other stakeholders to ensure that every voice is heard and that sustainable, community-focused alternatives are considered.

This is not just an environmental issue—it is about protecting our shared American values. The intricate legal structure of this lease sale, including its split estate arrangement and technical parcel definitions, underscores the need for greater local control and environmental oversight. Our public lands are irreplaceable—once exploited for oil and gas, they cannot be fully restored. We call on our elected officials, regardless of party, to prioritize the long-term well-being of our communities and the integrity of our natural heritage over short-term profits.

Sign this petition today to demand that our leaders protect Plateau Valley by halting the lease sale and ensuring that all environmental and community risks are fully evaluated before any further action is taken.