Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Norton Opposes BLM’s Plan for Vermillion Basin

Norton: “An America that’s not willing to drill energy-rich reserves like ANWR, the Roan Plateau, and Vermillion Basin is an America that is not serious about energy independence.”

Denver, CO – Today, in a follow-up to her latest web ad, entitled “Drilling Toward Independence,” conservative U.S. Senate Candidate Jane Norton announced her opposition to the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management Plan for Vermillion Basin. The Plan, which disregards the local consensus carefully built over 8-years between local officials, environmental activists, and energy representatives, puts the 77,000-acre Basin off limits to oil and gas companies.

“An America that’s not willing to drill energy rich reserves like ANWR, the Roan Plateau, and Vermillion Basin,” Norton said, “is an America that is not serious about energy independence. Well, I am. And if I have my way, we’ll drill in all three. We don’t need a Washington bureaucrat in an ivory tower telling us how to manage our public lands.”

Norton called for drilling the Vermillion Basin as part of a wide-ranging energy policy released in conjunction with the web ad. The policy outlines her eight energy priorities, including: Drill the Roan Plateau; Drill in ANWR; Expand oil, natural gas, and coal production on federal lands by freeing up the leasing process; Continue offshore drilling programs; Give access to coal reserves in North Fork Valley roadless areas; Fight cap-and-trade; Restart a meaningful oil shale R&D leasing program; and Incentivizing renewables, conservation, and the next generation of energy sources.

“It’s time for Washington to get serious about America’s need for home-grown energy. We need to develop domestic energy resources, and that development must be based on local consensus, not executive orders.”

Jane Norton for Colorado campaign co-chairs are former Governor Bill Owens, former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong, former U.S. Senator Hank Brown, and former Congressman Bob Beauprez. Norton has also garnered endorsements from a long list of Colorado conservatives including Attorney General John Suthers, Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland, former State Treasurer Mark Hillman, and thousands of Colorado grassroots activists.