The KDNK News Team got a bird’s-eye perspective of the Garfield County natural gas fields last month with Ecoflight, a local wildlands advocacy group. Amy Hadden Marsh has this story about a new plan for more natural gas drilling in western Garfield County and what that could mean for wildlife habitat in an area that’s riddled with gas wells. The BLM was invited to join KDNK on the flight but agency policy restricts employees to BLM-chartered flights during work hours. Initial public comment on the Balzac Gulch Phase II Master Development Plan closes February 8th.
BLM Plans More Gas Drilling in Garfield County
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Crystal River Valley, January 2018 Ecoflight trip
AH Marsh photo
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Carbondale, January 2018 Ecoflight trip
AH Marsh photo
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Western Garfield County, Roan Plateau covered with snow, January 2018 Ecoflight
AH Marsh photo
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North flank of Battlement Mesa (foreground), North Mamm Peak/ Mamm Peak Roadless Area/Houston Mountain (background), January 2018 Ecoflight
AH Marsh photo
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Balzac Gulch, western Garfield County, at base of Roan Plateau, January 2018 Ecoflight
Peter Hart photo
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Battlement Mesa community (center), view from top of Roan Plateau, January 2018 Ecoflight
AH Marsh photo
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Looking north, up Parachute Creek Drainage, western Garfield County, January 2018 Ecoflight
AH Marsh photo
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KDNK reporter Amy Hadden Marsh (l), News Director Raleigh Burleigh (c), Gary Kraft, Ecoflight pilot (r), January 2018 in Aspen
photo courtesy Jane Pargiter, EcoFlight
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Natural gas rig, top of Roan Plateau, January 2018 Ecoflight
Jane Pargiter, Ecoflight
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Natural gas drilling infrastructure, top of Roan Plateau, heading north by northeast, January 2018 EcoFlight
AH Marsh photo
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KDNK News Director Raleigh Burleigh's first flight in a small plane, January 2018 w/Ecoflight
photo courtesy Jane Pargiter, EcoFlight