Forest Service Releases Plan for Withdrawal of the Thompson Divide from Future Oil and Gas Leasing: Community Shows Strong Support

For more information contact: Francis Sanzaro, Communications Director at Wilderness Workshop, francis@wildernessworkshop.org, 315.415.7861; Michael Gorman, Campaign Manager at Wilderness Workshop, michael@wildernessworkshop.org, 970-274-4719; Lauren Suhrbier, Thompson Divide Coalition laurenmartindale@gmail.com

December 8, 2023 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CARBONDALE, CO – Today, the Forest Service released a draft environmental assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Thompson Divide Administrative Withdrawal that could protect a 225,000-acre stretch of public lands.

The Thompson Divide stretches south from Glenwood Springs through the Sunlight Ski Resort, and then west from Carbondale through Coal Basin to Crested Butte, including Mt. Emmons. The assessment includes an alternative to withdraw these lands from extractive industrial uses and sale, and a “no action alternative,” as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The public has 30 days to comment on the assessment. The USFS and BLM will host a virtual public meeting on Monday, December 18th, from 6 pm-7 pm. The meeting will consist of a short presentation explaining the requested withdrawal, information on how to submit a public comment, and a question-and-answer session. Register for the virtual public meeting at https://bit.ly/4878ZFV.

While the proposed mineral withdrawal would provide important interim protections for the next 20 years, permanent protection of the Divide would be secured with the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act. The CORE Act has passed the House several times and recently received a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. Wilderness Workshop and its partners are working tirelessly to secure not just the 20-year withdrawal, but ensuring the CORE Act gets put into law.

“We are very excited to see the Forest Service moving ahead with the proposed 20-year mineral withdrawal for the Thompson Divide and we are hopeful the agency will act quickly to finalize these important protections that our community has requested for many years,” said Will Roush, Executive Director of Wilderness Workshop. “The Thompson Divide is a special place for people and communities not just on the Western Slope, but across Colorado. The breadth and depth of support for long-term protection of the Divide is incredibly inspiring and the draft EA released today directly reflects that.”

The Thompson Divide is the site of some of the oldest ranches in the state, world-class hunting and recreation, and part of one of the most biologically significant and at-risk landscapes in the US. Linking wildlands near Grand Junction to the Elk Mountains, the Divide is a known important migration corridor for lynx, moose, elk, deer, bear, and mountain lions. Forty-nine percent of the Thompson Divide—about 110,600 acres—is “among the most high-value ecosystems in all of Colorado,” according to a report by Conservation Science Partners and the Center for American Progress, and 34,000 acres in the Divide receive top scores for ecological connectivity, which means high-value, unfragmented habitat.

The environmental assessment released today came in response to overwhelming community engagement this past January, in which over 73,500 public comments were submitted in support of banning future oil and gas leases on the Divide. Today, that assessment was released. Ninety-nine percent of the land on the Divide is used for hiking, fishing, hunting and ranching.

“Ranchers in the Thompson Divide have been united for a long time to protect these public lands, which are essential to our operations within the broader community. This mineral withdrawal gives us a chance to secure meaningful protections now,” said Molly Fales whose family operates Cold Mountain Ranch and grazing allotments in the Thompson Divide.

President Biden directed the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture in October 2022 to initiate the Thompson Divide Administrative Withdrawal. The BLM, which manages mineral resources in the area, accepted public comments on the withdrawal from that time through January 2023. In May 2023 the USFS, which manages the majority of the surface resources in the proposed withdrawal, initiated the required NEPA process to review the environmental effects of the proposed withdrawal that includes this EA. Upon completion of the draft EA comment period and review, we anticipate that the USFS will prepare a final EA that incorporates comments received, a Finding of No Significant Impact, and draft Record of Decision that will then allow the Secretary of the Interior to finalize the Thompson Divide Administrative Withdrawal.

This moment is the culmination of a lot of years of hard work. This is our time to take action and finish what the community has started. We look forward to reviewing the EA in more detail and providing specific comments on this significant step forward for the Thompson Divide. Stay tuned for our action alert.

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“While all mountain bikers appreciate having high quality trails close to home, many of us also seek out the wild & remote backcountry experiences that can be found in the Thompson Divide. Development in this particular area is not a “game-changer” for Colorado’s oil and gas industry, but development in the area would seriously impact the available trail experiences that are sought after by mountain bikers. Protecting this area through the CORE Act will be greatly appreciated by current and future generations of adventurous bike riders. Implementing a 20-year administrative mineral withdrawal will give us some certainty while the CORE Act works its way through congress.”

– Mike Prichard, Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association Executive Director.

“For six generations my family has operated Sunfire Ranch at the base of the Thompson Divide. Protecting Thompson Creek and the remote areas on the Divide benefits all of us, helping ranchers, wildlife, and our local economy thrive. Ranchers and farmers joined together with mountain bikers, hunters, business owners and recreationists in support of an administrative withdrawal. We congratulate the BLM and Forest Service for hearing the voices of Western Colorado and for taking the next step in this important process to finally protect the Divide. We ask for swift action to approve the Draft EA and send this to the Secretary!”

– Jason Sewell, rancher, fifth-generation steward of Sunfire Ranch, and board member of the Thompson Divide Coalition

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Wilderness Workshop is a nonprofit advocacy organization based in Carbondale, CO, whose mission is to protect the wilderness, water, and wildlife of Western Colorado’s public lands. Learn more at WildernessWorkshop.org

The Thompson Divide Coalition’s mission is to secure permanent protection from oil and gas development on Federal lands in the Thompson Divide. Learn more at ThompsonDivide.org