Celebrating a Rare Win for the Environment from the Trump Administration

It may be a small but nonetheless significant win for conservation over energy extraction, particularly for Grand County, Colorado, near Rocky Mountain National Park.

2 minute read

April 19, 2017, 10:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The Bureau of Land Management has withdrawn more than 27,000 acres [in 20 parcels] near Rocky Mountain National Park from a June oil and gas lease sale, drawing concern from the industry but cheers from environmentalists fighting the Trump administration's emphasis on increased fossil fuel development," reports Scott Streater for E&E News.

Conservation groups praised the decision, saying it is a good sign that the Trump administration will not abandon policies that call for careful review of parcels nominated by the industry for lease.

At the same time, BLM approved offering "86 parcels at the lease sale covering more than 73,000 acres in nearby Jackson and Routt counties, as well as Rio Blanco and Moffat counties in the state's northwest corner, the agency said," adds Streater. However, it was the aforementioned parcels in Grand County that had drawn significant opposition:

Numerous groups, including the town of Hot Sulphur Springs, The Wilderness Society, WildEarth Guardians and a nearby dude ranch, had challenged the agency's proposal to offer the 20 parcels for lease in Grand County.

The parcels also had been opposed by the Grand County's Board of County Commissioners, which last fall submitted formal comments (pdf) to BLM expressing concern that "oil and gas development would have negative consequences on our local environment and economy."

Presumably it also helped that the land "is characterized as low or no potential for oil and gas development" according to the Grand County commissioners, although that didn't prevent Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Denver-based Western Energy Alliance, to express her displeasure with the ruling.

She said BLM "had carefully analyzed the areas in Grand County" during a completed land-use plan update "and determined they're suitable for leasing."

This may be a rare "win" for the environmental community during the Trump era when conservation is pitted against energy extraction. It may also be telling that the Trump official in charge is Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017 in E&E News [Subscription]

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of residential street in Los Angeles with palm trees and hazy city in distance.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience

Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

5 hours ago - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Entrance sign for San Jose-Santa Clara Regional wastewater treatment facility.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action

As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

7 hours ago - * A Placemaking Journal

Rendering of Penrose Roundabout in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

April 27 - WHYY