Become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act
Thank you for contributing your voice to the conversation about how to best manage the Thompson Divide area. As you might remember, in August, we released a draft version of a bill and asked for comments from the community about the best way to move forward.
Our proposed plan received overwhelming support during the public comment period. With your input in mind, we've introduced a bill that protects the land – and the local economies tied to it – from future energy development, while also acknowledging and respecting the rights of current leaseholders.
Our bill offers a middle ground solution to the ongoing conversation about Thompson Divide’s future. It presents an option that would withdraw unleased public minerals in the area from future oil and gas development while also preserving existing private property rights for current leaseholders. The bill also creates an opportunity for existing leases to be retired should they be donated or sold by willing owners.
We believe this bill reflects the voices of stakeholders and Coloradans in the surrounding communities who live, work and recreate in the area and rely on it for their livelihoods.
Your input has been a critical part of this process and this bill represents the next step toward finding a middle ground solution. We’ll continue to work with all parties, including industry and local stakeholders to develop consensus on our plan to preserve this pristine land.
