Cowboys and conservationists team up to protect Colorado lands
A coalition of ranchers and environmentalists joined forces to secure a 20-year halt on new oil and gas drilling in Colorado's Thompson Divide.
Zoë Rom reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- An unexpected alliance of ranchers, cyclists, and environmentalists formed the Thompson Divide Coalition to protect nearly 250,000 acres of land from oil drilling.
- Legal vulnerabilities in existing drilling leases, especially around environmental reviews, helped the coalition challenge the leases.
- The Biden administration issued a 20-year pause on new drilling to allow Congress to consider permanent protections.
Key quote:
“This campaign has done an extraordinary amount of good to right-size the value of public lands, the value of environmental values like historic cultural values on public lands that weren’t getting adequate consideration in the old paradigm.”
— Peter Hart, legal director of Wilderness Workshop
Why this matters:
Efforts like these highlight the power of diverse coalitions in influencing environmental policies. Protecting public lands from oil and gas development is crucial for preserving ecosystems and combating climate change.
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