New Oil and Gas Group Formed

There is a new group forming to deal with issues pertaining to the proposed oil and gas drilling in the Pike National Forest. It is called Front Range Environmental Resource Coalition and its web site is www.frerc.org – they are having a first meeting on Tuesday April 1. Details can be found on their web site.

Gazette Article – Pike forest could be ground zero for new drilling

Today the Gazette published an article regarding oil and gas drilling in the Monument area. FOMP has been aware of this effort for nearly 5 years and has been opposed to Oil and Gas drilling on Mt. Herman since we first heard about it. Frankly, I was surprised to find that there were only 17 comments (for or against) filed during the initial comment period 4 years ago; however, I expect that to change now that we are actually about to have live drilling rigs in Monument full time. People from Manitou to Cheyenne (yes, Boulder too) are going to realize that oil and gas companies are serious about drilling all up and down the Front Range. If Dyad discovers natural gas in Monument, the battle of the Roan plateau will look like a friendly intellectual dinner table discussion.

Stay tuned.

Gazette Article – Pike forest could be ground zero for new drilling

As a partner organization with the USFS FOMP will be reviewing the EA when it becomes available in the near future and submitting comments as an organization. We encourage you to get involved and review the EA as well and make comments as individuals.

Note: I have already received several questions regarding why FOMP is opposed to this effort and I will articulate those reasons here shortly. — Thanks — Chris / FOMP Board

FOMP Upcoming Schule – changes and cancellations!

Canceled:

1. June 23 Mt. Herman Rd. Cleanup day is canceled. We will discuss
rescheduling this for the fall if we can generate enough interest.
There are just too many conflicts and too few people around during
the summer.

Ongoing:

1. Wed June 20, 7:00PM — Monthly Board Meeting is held in the
classroom at the work center. Everyone is invited to join us..
2. Trail Crew. Trail season is in full swing. Due to the difficult
conditions on the trail we are holding weekly work sessions in
addition to the monthly work session. These are Tuesday nights at
6pm, meet at the trail head on the corner of Mt. Herman and
Schilling. FOMP ad FS provide all the tools. Bring water, gloves,
and dress appropriately for the weather. We work in rain unless
there is lightning. If you have any questions, please send them to
info@fomp.org.

Summer 2007

The summer 2007 FOMP calendar is almost set. Trail days, as always, will be the second Tuesday of each month, 6pm, meet at the trail head on Mt. Herman Rd. We will also be hosting several other events: Dinner with the Hotshot and Helitac crews (May), Mt. Herman Rd clean up day (May), Tree Planting, and the annual Memorial Grove ceremony(May). Please check the calendar for details as we finalize dates. And please contact us at info@fomp.org if you wish to participate in any of the events and need more info.

Upcoming FOMP Elections

At 7:00pm Wednesday, 18-April 2007, The Friends of Monument Preserve (FOMP) are holding our annual membership meeting and board elections. The purpose of this meeting is to elect a governing board to direct the activities of FOMP as and as your representatives to interface with the community and the USFS. If you or someone you know is interested in a board position, or just want to be more involved in defining our goals and operational plans, please plan on attending. The meeting his held in the classroom in the Fire Center Administration area, follow the first left after Mount Herman Road turns to dirt and follow it in to the parking. Active FOMP members are eligible to vote.

Forest Revision Plan

The PSI is initiating a forest management plan revision process and is considering a variety of topics, including recreation. New policies created in the forest plan revision process will be in place for 15-20 years, making your input extremely important. Additional public collaboration opportunities will arise in the next year or two, but your comments now will lay the groundwork for the rest of this important process.

All forest users are invited to give their input. You need to speak up now an make your voice heard.

Comment cards are available online and take only a few minutes to complete.

Please mail, fax or hand deliver your comment card to any ranger district office on the PSI before March 30, 2007. For a list of locations and contact information, click here.

The PSI is requesting specific feedback on three primary questions:

1. The What: Considering what you know of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests (that may be related to places, resources, or topics of interest), a) what about the Forests do you think is working well and requires no change, and b) what about the Forests do you think should change?

2. The Why: Why should these remain the same or why should they be considered for future change?

3. The Where: Where are places that exemplify the issues raised in 1 and 2?

Thanks to USFS for the basic info at out last meeting and IMBA for some of the more specific wording which I have borrowed here.

NPS Listening Sessions in Colorado

This is from IMBA but may interest you if you’d like to have input into the future of trail access in Nationl Parks. A special thanks to IMBA for the info.

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Just this weekend, the National Park Service (NPS) announced four new public meetings in Colorado as part of a nationwide series where citizens will provide input on how national parks should be managed. IMBA urges mountain bikers to attend the listening sessions, in order to strengthen the productive relationship that mountain bicyclists have forged with the NPS, and to ask for increased bicycling opportunities in national parks for decades to come.

Read more about the NPS listening sessions and its Centennial Initiative to improve national parks.

Read an IMBA news release, including talking points for mountain bikers who attend the sessions.

Denver
Who: Lynn Scarlett, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior
When: Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 5:00 7:00 p.m.
Where: Sheraton Denver West Hotel, Bergen Park Conference Room 2nd Floor, 360 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado
Contact: Stephanie Dubois 303-969-2283

Grand Junction
Who: Connie Rudd, National Park Superintendent for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area
When: Wednesday, March 21, 5:00 7:00 p.m.
Where: Double Tree Hotel (I-70 at Airport Exit), Grand Junction, CO
Contact: Dave Roberts 970-240-5432

Durango
Who: Larry Wiese, Superintendent of Mesa Verde National Park
When: Wednesday, March 21, from 5:00 -7:00 p.m
Where: Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO
Contact: Mesa Verde Visitor’s Center 970-529-4465

Alamosa
Who: Art Hutchinson, Superintendent of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
When: Thursday, March 29, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Adams State College, Student Union Building, Room A131, Intersection of Stadium and First Streets, Alamosa, CO
Contact: Carol Sperling 719-378-6341

Board Meeting

This is a reminder that Friends of Monument Preserve will hold its monthly board meeting tomorrow 03/21/2007 at 7:00 PM. Additionally we will be starting monthly trail maintenance nights soon so stay tuned.

We meet in the fire center classroom building – the first large building on the right in the fire center.

If you need directions or have any questions please contact us via email (info@fomp.org) or you can call me directly.