August 27, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News: "Tipton balks at taking a position on Thompson Divide draft bill"

Dorothy Atkins:
".S. Rep. Scott Tipton is waiting to hear constituent feedback on legislation protecting the Thompson Divide before taking a position on a proposed draft bill, he said at the GOP headquarters in Aspen on Saturday.

The draft bill, introduced by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado over two weeks ago, could lead to enhanced conservation of the Thompson Divide area near Carbondale and retirement of gas-drilling leases there. The senator has posted the draft on his website and invited the public to comment in the hopes it can lead to common ground between drilling opponents and gas companies holding leases.

“As he gets public comment I’m hoping that he will be sharing some of that with us,” said Tipton, who represents Aspen and the rest of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District in Washington, adding that he isn’t familiar with the details of the draft bill. “But we’ll see what ultimately he’ll be looking at.”

The proposal would withdraw unleased minerals on public lands in the area from future lease sales, essentially protecting them from oil and gas development. It explicitly states it would preserve existing rights of gas leaseholders, but it also states the feds would, within 180 days of passage of the bill, provide “opportunity for donation, voluntary exchange, or other relinquishment of those rights for retirement.”...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within the news others make since 2010."

No comments: