2012
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       HOUSE RESOLUTION 12-1004
       
       BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Scott,  Acree, Barker, Baumgardner,
       Becker, Beezley, Bradford, Brown, Conti, Coram, DelGrosso,
       Gardner B., Gerou, Holbert, Joshi, Kerr J., Liston, Looper, Massey,
       Nikkel, Priola, Ramirez, Sonnenberg, Stephens, Summers, Swalm,
       Swerdfeger, Vaad, Waller, McNulty.
       
          CONCERNING A REQUEST THAT THE BUREAU OF LAND
       MANAGEMENT'S COLORADO RIVER VALLEY FIELD
       OFFICE PREPARE A REVISED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
       PLAN. 
       
          WHEREAS, The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
       instructed its Colorado River Valley field office (CRV) to prepare a new
       resource management plan (RMP) for lands within its management area;
       and
       
          WHEREAS, The RMP will govern activities on over 500,000 acres
       of public land managed by the BLM; and
       
          WHEREAS, It is anticipated that the RMP will instruct management
       practices during the next 15 to 20 years; and
       
          WHEREAS, In acknowledgment of the importance of the RMP, both
       Governor John Hickenlooper and Senator Michael Bennet urged the BLM
       to extend the comment period to give communities and business leaders
       an enhanced opportunity to shape the RMP; and
       
          WHEREAS, Energy development on private and public land is an
       important component of the economic well-being of local communities
       within the boundaries of the RMP's project area; and
       
          WHEREAS, Energy development is an important component of the
       state economy of Colorado; and
       
          
       
          WHEREAS, The national security of the United States of America
       depends on the responsible production of domestic energy, including
       responsible production on federally managed public land; and
       
          WHEREAS, Emerging technologies have opened the responsible
       development of long-lasting stores of oil and natural gas; and
       
          WHEREAS, Significant social and economic benefits flow from the
       responsible development of energy, both at the state and local
       government level; and
       
          WHEREAS, Without revenues generated from energy production,
       many local governments will be unable to provide necessary social
       services; and
       
          WHEREAS, The existing RMP prepared by the CRV fails to
       adequately analyze the significant social and economic benefits that are
       gained by responsible energy development; and
       
          WHEREAS, Without a thorough analysis of both costs and benefits,
       the public is unable to come to an informed opinion about the alternatives
       considered in the RMP; and
       
          WHEREAS, The RMP's failure to provide in the draft RMP an
       alternative that includes a comprehensive discussion of the social and
       economic benefits from energy development is flawed and must be
       corrected; and
       
          WHEREAS, The draft RMP fundamentally and inappropriately limits
       future energy production; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-eighth
       General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
       
          That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives,
       request:
       
          
       
          
          (1)  That the BLM direct its CRV field office to prepare a revised
       RMP that fully analyzes the benefits and impacts derived from energy
       development within its managed lands;
       
          (2)  That this revised RMP contemplate and authorize a more
       substantial oil and clean-burning natural gas development program over
       the 15- to 20-year life span of the plan;
       
          (3)  That the Department of Natural Resources of the state of
       Colorado use its standing as a "cooperating agency" to urge the BLM to
       develop a revised RMP and allow the public to have a full opportunity to
       provide comments on the revised RMP; and
       
          (4)  That, after preparation of the revised RMP, the BLM direct the
       CRV field office to open a new comment period of no less than 60 days
       to allow citizens and interested groups to submit comments on the
       alternative RMP.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to Steve
       Bennett, Field Manager of the Colorado River Valley field office, Helen
       Hankins, State Director of the Colorado state office of the Bureau of
       Land Management, Mike King, Executive Director of the Colorado
       Department of Natural Resources, Governor John Hickenlooper, Senator
       Michael Bennet, Senator Mark Udall, Representative Diana DeGette,
       Representative Jared Polis, Representative Scott Tipton, Representative
       Cory Gardner, Representative Doug Lamborn, Representative Mike
       Coffman, and Representative Ed Perlmutter.
       
       
       
       
       
       ________________________________________________________
       Marilyn Eddins                        Frank McNulty 
       CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE        SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       OF REPRESENTATIVES                OF REPRESENTATIVES