GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado ” A federal judge will hold a hearing over a request to block the issuance of federal Roan Plateau mineral leases later this month.

Attorneys for the Bureau of Land Management and the 10 environmental groups that filed the motion for the preliminary injunction will appear before U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger on Oct. 15, court records show. Much of that hearing is expected to concentrate around scheduling and procedural issues.

The environmental groups filed their motion to block the leases the same day the BLM announced that the U.S. Department of Interior rejected the thousands of protests filed against the sale of 31 parcels encompassing about 54,600 acres of the Roan Plateau Planning Area.

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The rejection of the protests led the BLM to issue the disputed Roan leases to the companies that collectively paid about $113.9 million to drill there.

The environmental groups ” which are currently suing the BLM to overturn its management plan for the Roan Plateau Planning Area ” are also requesting that Judge Krieger block any drilling activity those leases may allow and expedite consideration of the injunction request, court records show.

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Vantage Energy, a company that acquired leases to the top of the plateau, argued in court papers Krieger should deny any attempt to expedite the case over the preliminary injunction because the leases have already been issued. Attorneys for Vantage added that, the BLM and the environmental groups “are in discussion on how to proceed in light of the issuance of leases.”

Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117

pyates@postindependent.com

Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO