Opponents to explain draft EA for BLM oil/gas lease auction
NFRIA-WSERC Conservation Center (NWCC) and Citizens for a Healthy Community (CHC) are co-hosting an informational meeting about the BLM draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the scheduled August oil and gas lease sale. The meeting will be held in Hotchkiss at Memorial Hall at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 22. Memorial Hall is located at 175 North First Street adjacent to the Hotchkiss Library.
The public is invited to learn about the draft EA released March 7, the BLM's proposed three alternatives, the Finding of No Significant Impact, and how to most effectively provide public comment before the April 6 deadline.
The draft EA was released after receiving thousands of public comments. The BLM's Preferred Alternative includes 24,000 acres of oil and gas leasing in the North Fork Valley. The EA also includes a number of stipulations and lease notices for the various parcels proposed for leasing.
To read the EA and FONSI, visit the BLM's website or download the EA and all related documents at www.theconservationcenter.org.
Robin Smith, CHC board chair, announced that the organization is requesting an extension for public comment from the BLM's Uncompahgre Field Office (UFO).
Smith said the comment period should be extended by at least seven days, or until the problems with BLM's website have been corrected.
"Although BLM's website does not say this, only PC computer users can submit their comments via the webpage as a result of the use of ePlanning. In addition, anyone who uses an Apple computer, an iPad, iPhone, Android, any kind of tablet or notebook, or any other kind of handheld device cannot submit comments electronically," Smith said. The use of the BLM software requires the commenter to have Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher with TLS 1.0 enabled.
"Many CHC supporters do not use Internet Explorer as their web browser, do not have version 7.0 or higher, or know what it means to enable TLS 1.0. CHC's supporters who use FireFox or Safari, or any other browser other than Internet Explorer are prevented from submitting electronic comments."
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