BLM Clears 113 Roan Plateau Parcels for December 2026 Oil and Gas Lease Sale

Glenwood Springs —Juli Slivka, senior director of policy and programs at Wilderness Workshop, isn’t mincing words. She sees the Bureau of Land Management’s latest move as a "blatant disregard" for West Slope communities, hunters, and anglers.

The BLM has released a preliminary environmental assessment for 113 parcels on the Roan Plateau, north of Rifle. This isn’t just paperwork. It’s a direct path to a December 2026 oil and gas lease sale covering roughly 127,000 acres.

For context, the plateau has been a battleground since the early 2000s. A 2007 lease sale faced heavy opposition from groups like Colorado Trout Unlimited and Wilderness Workshop. The legal fight resulted in a 2014 settlement that canceled 17 of 19 leases.

But the current round is different. BLM Communications Director Steve Hall says these 113 parcels are not part of that 2014 settlement. They were amended out of the original agreement a decade ago.

“We amended the Roan Plateau agreement at least a decade ago,” Hall said. “These parcels are not part of the settlement from the lawsuit in 2014. They’re also close to the privately owned properties drilling on the plateau now.”

The BLM opened a 30-day public scoping period on June 9. They released the draft environmental assessment on Wednesday, Aug. 12, kicking off another 30-day comment window. The public can submit comments through 4 p.m. on Sept. 11 via the BLM website.

The parcels are eligible for oil and gas, oil shale, and tar sands extraction under the National Fluids Lease Sale System.

Hall noted there’s no "cooling period" for these parcels. Even if they don’t sell in December 2026, they remain on the table for future sales unless the plan is formally changed.

Conservation groups are pushing back hard. Slivka argues that moving forward with these leases ignores the interests of local businesses and residents who want to keep drill rigs out of critical habitats and watersheds.

“With this comment opportunity, BLM has another chance to listen to the public and make a decision to defer these contentious leases,” Slivka said.

Conservation Colorado, Earthjustice, and the Wilderness Society echoed these concerns in an Aug. 12 press release. They point to the Trump Administration’s executive order, "Unleash American Energy," as the driving force behind this push.

Locals can check specific parcel details, including high-priority habitats from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, on the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission’s GIS Interactive map at ecmc.colorado.

The practical impact here is straightforward. If the BLM proceeds, these 113 parcels become available for extraction. That means potential drilling activity on public land north of Rifle, adjacent to existing private operations. The cost isn't just financial; it’s a shift in how the land is used, potentially affecting water quality and hunting access for those who rely on it.

The decision to defer or proceed rests on the comments received by Sept. 11, but as Hall pointed out, deferring now doesn’t lock the door forever.