DENVER -- The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is taking public comments on new rules aiming to minimize harm to the state's wildlife.

Suzanne O'Neill, executive director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, said her organization largely supports the proposed rules.

But she pointed to the best available science, that shows surface disturbances from oil and gas development should be limited to no more than 3% per square mile of high-priority habitat for bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk and pronghorn.

This is important, O'Neill explained, "To really protect these populations from ground disturbance and haul roads and well pads in these migratory corridors, and also their severe winter range and their birthing areas."

Industry groups have argued that current rules already provide wildlife protections, and warn that additional setbacks could hurt smaller operators.

Written comments must be submitted by noon tomorrow (Thurs., Oct. 8) through the commission's website, where people also can sign up to make oral comments during a hearing set for Tues., Oct. 13.

O'Neill insisted the proposal to keep oil and gas operations at least 300 feet away from high-priority fish habitat should be extended to 500 feet, to prevent sedimentation and protect against chemical spills.

She said high-value gold medal and native cutthroat trout waters should have buffers of at least a quarter-mile, and stressed economic benefits as well as environmental: "Fishing in Colorado generates about $2.4 billion in economic output annually, and supports more than 17,000 jobs."

The new rules come after Senate Bill 181, signed into law last year, changed the commission's mission from fostering oil and gas development to protecting public health and safeguarding wildlife.

O'Neill confirmed that the commission needs to hear from the public before the rules are finalized.

"It's really important that big game gain these protections, and that our aquatic resources gain greater protections," she added. "And this will all be much better than the old rules."


Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.




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Beluga whales are known as the "canaries of the sea" for their melodious songs but conservation groups are concerned one pod in Alaska could be rendered silent.

Belugas have lived in the Cook Inlet near Anchorage for centuries but because of a deteriorating environment, they are now on the federal Endangered Species list.

Ragen Davey, Alaska marine representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said the population of the extremely social and vocal Cook Inlet belugas has alarmingly decreased by about 80% since the 1970s.

"They stay in Cook Inlet all year round," Davey explained. "They live under the ice for parts of it. There's so many different threats that are affecting them. The three main ones are noise pollution, water pollution and prey availability."

Davey noted the Beluga whales are experiencing a variety of threats not endangering other whale populations in Alaskan waters. She pointed out their territory in the Cook Inlet is right outside one of the most developed areas of the state.

While orcas and polar bears are the belugas' natural predators, Davey emphasized water pollution and a diminishing salmon population account for much of their decline. And although by law they are no longer hunted by humans, the trappings of modern-day civilization also weigh on their survival.

"When feeding, belugas use echolocation to find food," Davey added. "Parts of their habitat are in a lot of the most developed parts of the state in Cook Inlet, so commercial ships and machinery noise can really impact the whales when they're trying to find food and talk with each other."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program trains volunteer citizen observers to monitor the whales at various points along the inlet and report their findings. Davey stressed the extra eyes are needed to count them and keep tabs on the species' progress.

"I really encourage Alaska residents to sign up to volunteer for the monitoring program," Davey urged. "The more people that understand what this population is enduring, the more people that are able to join in on the recovery."

The fall migration period for birds is underway, and the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife is trying to save as many birds as possible.

The Lights Out Texas! campaign encourages building owners, businesses, developers, and homeowners to turn off non-essential lights at night to keep birds from getting disoriented.

Azalia Rodriguez - the Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife - said as birds fly at night they are attracted to the bright lights, and then collide with buildings during the early morning hours.

"Birds don't understand the concept of glass, they don't understand that it is an invisible barrier," said Rodriguez. "And so when they see glass they will see a tree reflected on the glass, and so they think it's habitat and they'll try to fly into that habitat."

Rodriguez said 70% of the collisions are fatal. It's estimated nearly two billion birds pass through Texas from August 15 through November 30.

Multiple cities in the Austin area, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the Houston-Gulf Coast area, and El Paso in West Texas, participate in Lights Out Texas!

You can get a real time count of the number of birds flying into a city at birdcast.info.

Rodriguez said building collisions are the second leading cause of bird deaths in the United States.

"One billion U.S. deaths occur for birds from building collisions," said Rodriguez. "It definitely is a huge problem and so it is causing a decrease in our population. Building collisions are actually the number two biggest threat to birds."

Cats are the number one threat to birds.

Peak fall migration dates are between September 5 and October 29. Spring migration dates are March 1 through June 15.

A federal decision on the endangered status of grizzly bears has been delayed.

Wildlife managers in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho have petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove grizzly bears from the federal endangered species list in certain areas, including the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It would leave states in charge of their management.

According to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, the region's population has met recovery criteria for more than two decades, after the species gained federal protections in 1975.

Andrea Zaccardi, carnivore conservation legal director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said the population's spread across isolated ecosystems can be detrimental to recovery.

"Because Yellowstone bears are completely isolated from any other population, they have genetic diversity issues," Zaccardi pointed out. "The ideal is that we keep these bears protected until the populations are connected and there's actual genetic exchange."

A federal decision expected on July 31 was delayed until early 2025. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has said the delay is to ensure consistency in decisions across several petitions. Gov. Mark Gordon called the missed deadline unacceptable.

The Yellowstone area is spread across three states, so if grizzlies are delisted federally, they would be subject to multiple state management plans and hunting regulations.

Rick King, chief game warden and wildlife division chief for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said there is already a tri-state agreement and, with the National Park Service and other federal agencies, a conservation strategy prepared.

"That provides the overarching guidance and commitments that all of the states and those agencies will make to ensure a healthy and robust grizzly bear population persists," King contended. "Even once they're removed from the ESA list."

Yellowstone grizzlies were delisted briefly both in 2007 and 2017 but both decisions were overturned in court.


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