Colorado government officials wanting more time to comment about proposed oil- shale development in western Colorado will likely only have until the Thursday deadline.
Despite requests from water providers and local governments, the Bureau of Land Management said Tuesday it could not extend the time for public comments on the plan covering nearly 2 million acres of public land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
The BLM released a draft plan in December to mine the oil locked in rocks on federal land in the three states and gave the public 90 days to comment. Government officials in western Colorado and eight water providers along the Front Range, including Denver Water, have asked for an extension, saying they needed more time to review the 1,400-page document.
The water managers and elected officials are concerned that oil shale production facilities would drain up to 15 percent of western Colorado’s water. They also said the development would displace wildlife and create new sources of toxic waste.
“Many aspects of our lives would be jeopardized, including clean air and water, and ultimately, the strength of our communities,” wrote Pitkin County Commissioner Jack Hatfield in a Feb. 27 letter to the BLM.
BLM spokeswoman Heather Feeney in Washington said officials are always willing to consider extending a public-comment period, but cannot do it this time.
