Rockies targeted for gas drilling | Denver Post

[Ediacara]

Article Published: Friday, August 08, 2003 - 12:00:00 AM MST

Rockies targeted for gas drilling

Environmentalists decry BLM move to redo rules



By Mike Soraghan, Denver Post Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration on Thursday ordered federal land managers across the Rockies to look for ways to remove or reduce environmental restrictions on federal lands in order to make way for gas drilling.

The new rules issued by Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke represent a ramping up of the administration's push to develop several key natural gas fields in the Rocky Mountain West. They order BLM officials to review environmental restrictions, speed up energy projects, streamline environmental restoration and maintain ties with industry.

"What it says is make sure the restrictions in place are the appropriate ones," said BLM spokesman David Quick. "Don't do more than what's needed, because there's energy there.

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[maggrwaggr]

1. lovely news

I love Colorado, spent many years there.

This is something that has to be fought.

[sujan]

2. people underestimate the threat of environmental destruction

but if I were the president, it would be the first thing on my agenda to do something about it.