Request the BLM to Withdraw Potential Oil and Gas Lease Parcels

The Issue

  • We the shareholders of Fire Mountain Canal (FMC) and/or landowners with Fire Mountain Canal easements, and/or consumer buying fruits and vegetables grown with FMC water, sign this petition based upon the following:
  • 1. We all rely on water, and all benefit from the health of the FMC 
  • 2. We are all concerned about negative impacts of oil and gas development, in particular the leases that contain or are adjacent to the FMC, for both health and safety reasons.
  • 3. We are concerned about potential liability and litigation costs of transporting potentially contaminated water across private lands, Organically certified farms and chemical-free farms, and the additional potential health and safety effects, as well as the liability potential from distribution of contaminated farm market produce and livestock.
  • 4. We are concerned about potential tremors, sediment, and subsidence from gas development that could be costly to the FMC, both from repair costs and potential litigation costs (Documented in Arkansas, Oklahoma and New York, linked directly in England - http://www.pipelinecommunity.com/Gas-News/uk-tremors-linked-to-fracking.html)
  • This Petition requests the BLM to withdrawn the lease parcels from sale, with ALL six of the following listed below. This petition also requests the FMC board to write the BLM by Jan 8th, with some or ideally ALL of the following requests:
  • 1.To remove or defer All leases due to concerns with potential costs, litigation, economic development, health and safety of the North Fork Valley.
  • 2. To remove or defer specific leases -  6215, 6216, 6206, 6191, 6189, and 6207 which may affect and contain the FMC, and/or the water source of the FMC, the Paonia Reservoir. The potential for sedimentation build up in the already heavily sedimented reservoir, contamination of the water source and canal form fracking fluids and other related drilling activities and seismic consequences from fracking make the risk to the agricultural operations served by the FMC, the potential litigation and repair costs, as well as the potential risks for health and human safety, too high a risk for the FMC and its shareholders to permit leases for these parcels to be sold. 
  • 3. To suspend a decision pending a thoughtful and meaningful review of current economic and cultural conditions in the NFV and FMC area (1989 RMP, which identifies which lands are appropriate for O&G leasing is not adequate - it does not take into account new agri-tourism, coal-miner safety, Organic farming, recreational tourism, and new health and safety concerns).
  • 4. Request a public hearing by the BLM so that the public can be informed.
  • 5. Request that the BLM conduct a EIS instead of an EA, due to newly release health and safety concerns.
  • 6. Extend the public comment period due to the holiday season.
    • avatar of the starter
    Alison GannettPetition Starter
    Media inquiries
    This petition had 31 supporters

    The Issue

  • We the shareholders of Fire Mountain Canal (FMC) and/or landowners with Fire Mountain Canal easements, and/or consumer buying fruits and vegetables grown with FMC water, sign this petition based upon the following:
  • 1. We all rely on water, and all benefit from the health of the FMC 
  • 2. We are all concerned about negative impacts of oil and gas development, in particular the leases that contain or are adjacent to the FMC, for both health and safety reasons.
  • 3. We are concerned about potential liability and litigation costs of transporting potentially contaminated water across private lands, Organically certified farms and chemical-free farms, and the additional potential health and safety effects, as well as the liability potential from distribution of contaminated farm market produce and livestock.
  • 4. We are concerned about potential tremors, sediment, and subsidence from gas development that could be costly to the FMC, both from repair costs and potential litigation costs (Documented in Arkansas, Oklahoma and New York, linked directly in England - http://www.pipelinecommunity.com/Gas-News/uk-tremors-linked-to-fracking.html)
  • This Petition requests the BLM to withdrawn the lease parcels from sale, with ALL six of the following listed below. This petition also requests the FMC board to write the BLM by Jan 8th, with some or ideally ALL of the following requests:
  • 1.To remove or defer All leases due to concerns with potential costs, litigation, economic development, health and safety of the North Fork Valley.
  • 2. To remove or defer specific leases -  6215, 6216, 6206, 6191, 6189, and 6207 which may affect and contain the FMC, and/or the water source of the FMC, the Paonia Reservoir. The potential for sedimentation build up in the already heavily sedimented reservoir, contamination of the water source and canal form fracking fluids and other related drilling activities and seismic consequences from fracking make the risk to the agricultural operations served by the FMC, the potential litigation and repair costs, as well as the potential risks for health and human safety, too high a risk for the FMC and its shareholders to permit leases for these parcels to be sold. 
  • 3. To suspend a decision pending a thoughtful and meaningful review of current economic and cultural conditions in the NFV and FMC area (1989 RMP, which identifies which lands are appropriate for O&G leasing is not adequate - it does not take into account new agri-tourism, coal-miner safety, Organic farming, recreational tourism, and new health and safety concerns).
  • 4. Request a public hearing by the BLM so that the public can be informed.
  • 5. Request that the BLM conduct a EIS instead of an EA, due to newly release health and safety concerns.
  • 6. Extend the public comment period due to the holiday season.
    • avatar of the starter
    Alison GannettPetition Starter
    Media inquiries

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    Petition created on December 17, 2011