Mission of The Thompson Divide Coalition

 Board Officers

Pres., Jock Jacober,

Crystal River Meats and Jacober Brothers Construction

V.P., Dorothea Farris, State of Colorado Wildlife Commission and former Pitkin County Commissioner

Sec./Treas., Jason Sewell, Sewell Ranch

Board Members

Chuck Ogilby, Avalanche Ranch

Brook LeVan, Sustainable Settings

Judy Fox-Perry, Water Gap Ranch

Marj Perry, Cold Mountain Ranch

Ian Carney, Two Shoes Ranch

Sue Anschutz-Rodgers, Crystal River Ranch

Office:

55N.4^th St

PO Box 2045

Carbondale, CO 81623

(970) 355-4223

www.savethompsondivide.org

Mission:

The Thompson Divide Coalition was formed for one purpose:  to secure permanent protection from oil and gas development on Federal lands in the Thompson Divide Area.  This area includes the Thompson Creek and Four Mile Creek watersheds, as well as portions of the Muddy Basin, Coal Basin and the headwaters of East Divide Creek.  To achieve this goal, TDC is seeking federal legislation to permanently withdraw the area from availability for future leasing.  Additionally, the coalition is working with current leaseholders to retire existing leases.

Who We Are:

 The Founding Members of the Coalition include:  Bill Fales and Marj Perry of Cold Mountain Ranch, Sue Rodgers of Crystal River Ranch, Chuck Ogilby of Avalanche Ranch, Brooke LeVan, Dorothea Farris, Jason Sewell of Sewell Ranch, Judy Fox-Perry 1 108 Rd. land owner, Jock Jacober of Crystal River Meats and Ian Carney of Two Shoes Ranch and Wilderness Workshop.

 The Leases:

 The Thompson Divide area covers over 221,500 acres of Federal land in Pitkin County (88,100 acres), Gunnison County (51,700 acres), Garfield County (43,500 acres), Mesa County (30,500 acres), and Delta County (7,700 acres).  There are 81 gas and oil leases in the area covering approximately 105,000 acres.  Half of the leases are in road less areas and do not contain surface stipulations.  However, there are only two established units, the Wolf Creek and Ragged Mountain units.  TDC is not attempting to retire the leases within this unit.  In contrast, TDC is proposing to retire the leases within the small Ragged Mountain Unit in Clear Fork.  The leases in the rest of the Thompson Divide area remain undeveloped due to geography, resource occurrence potential, and a lack of infrastructure, which will likely make development unprofitable.  Lease holding companies include EnCana, SG Interests, Gunnison Energy, Falcon Seaboard and Antero.

 What Is At Risk:

 TDC believes that Thompson Divide is most valuable "just as it is".

 The Thompson Divide Area is defined by abundant environmental, economic, and recreational values.  The clean water, air, rural and agricultural heritage, the recreational and sporting activities would all be negatively impacted by oil and gas development.

 The Thompson Divide area provides clean water for agriculture and domestic use.  Much of the North Fork Valley, one of the most productive organic farming regions in the nation, is irrigated with water from this area.  Additionally, the lands provide crucial summer range for local ranchers with federal grazing permits.  Access to nearby summer grazing lands allows ranchers to maintain their ranches as critical open space in the valleys.

The Thompson Divide area offers an array of recreational opportunities.  This area overlaps game Unit #43, renowned as one of the best hunting units in the state.  The Thompson Creek Finns are a well known sport climbing destination.  Ice climbing is a popular winter activity in the Hayes Creek and Coal Basin watersheds.  The Sunlight to Powderhorn snowmobile route traverses the area from east to west.  The Thompson Divide area also includes Spring Gulch – a public Nordic ski area just outside Carbondale and Ski Sunlight – an alpine resort ski area near Glenwood Springs.  In the summer mountain bikers, horseback riders and anglers all enjoy the area.

The multitude of recreational opportunities helps bring tourists to the area, thereby supporting the local economy.  The value of these activities is greater than the potential value of oil and gas development in the area.   The Thompson Divide Area is most valuable as it is currently being used.

The Thompson Divide Coalition urges concerned citizens and groups to add their voices to our campaign by expressing their support of a permanent Federal withdrawal bill for the area to their County Commissioners and representatives in Washington D.C.