San Juan Citizens Alliance

Colorado Gives Day!
2019-12-09 - 2019-12-10 | CO
Give Where You Live!
December 10th is Colorado Gives Day!

Southwest Colorado Gives is a regional champion of Colorado Gives Day, making it easer to Give Where You Live. San Juan Citizens Alliance is participating for the first time, joining over 70 other non-profits doing important work in La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta, San Juan and Dolores County. You don’t have to wait until the 10th, you can schedule your donation through their secure giving platform. Click on the button to donate and look for other amazing LOCAL nonprofits to support.
Your donation supports our work ensuring a safe and complete clean-up of the Animas River, advocating for and pursuing a just transition from coal to local renewable energy, and demanding science-based management for our thriving public lands.

Chaco & Carlsbad BLM lease sale protest
2019-12-10 - 2019-12-17 | CO
Communities living near oil and gas wells already suffer the effects of poor air quality due to venting and flaring of toxic are emissions, increased rates of cancer and asthma, and unsafe traveling conditions – now the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to lease even more land for oil & gas development.

In the Greater Chaco region, over 90% of public lands are leased for oil and gas drilling. Development of oil and gas wells in this region will require more water, release more pollution, and pose more intensive environmental and health impacts. The BLM foresees thousands of wells being developed in this region that is already besieged by more than 40,000 oil and gas wells.
Now, the BLM is gearing up to lease thousands more acres of public and ancestral tribal lands in New Mexico, including more than 1,300 additional acres in Greater Chaco and nearly 14,000 in Greater Carlsbad at the February 2020 Lease Sale.

We need you to take action and submit comment to ensure the BLM knows we will stand up for the protection of public and sacred lands!
Click here – BLM Feb 2020 lease protest form
Here is a template for the comment form that explains why these lease sales are so damaging to our public lands, environment, communities and tribal sacred spaces. Just fill out the “supporting comment” section with your reasons for protesting the lease and supply your address/contact info…then send the form back to us!*

*Please add your personalized comments in the designated location on the form and email it to our New Mexico Energy Organizer, Zach Pavlik, at zach@sanjuancitizens.org by no later than 12 pm/noon on Tuesday, December 17th.

Durango Air Quality Hearing
2019-12-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Denver) | La Plata County Office, Room E103, 1101 E 2nd Ave Room, Durango, CO, 81301, United States
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) is holding a Durango hearing on strengthening methane regulations from the oil and gas industry. Strong new rules are vital in order to reduce emissions, protect our health, and curb climate impacts.
Five years ago, Colorado became the first state to directly regulate methane pollution – an extremely potent greenhouse gas – from the oil and natural gas industry. Since the rules were adopted, Colorado’s economic growth has exceeded projections, proving that smart environmental policy can go hand-in-hand with economic prosperity. But the old rules aren’t enough- Colorado needs new protections that reduce emissions to safeguard our health and our environment.
It’s time for Colorado to take this crucial leadership to the next step. This summer, Gov. Polis signed SB 181 into law – officially directing the Air Quality Control Commissions (AQCC) to further minimize pollution from oil & gas facilities. Now, you only have a limited amount of time to speak up before a new rule is finalized.
The proposed new rule is a step up: It’s expected to cut pollution from thousands of low-producing wells statewide, develop a first-of-its kind standard for cutting pollution in the transmission & storage sector, and create new methane emission reporting requirements for oil & gas producers.
This won’t happen without your support! Come tell the AQCC that Coloradans on the West Slope want strong new rules that prioritize health and environment!

Talking Points:
Climate Change
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide and responsible for about 25 percent of the climate change we’re already experiencing.
Here in Southwest Colorado we are especially vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change, from frequent and severe wildfires to decreased snowpack, earlier spring melting, and less water during the growing season. The impacts affect all aspects of Colorado’s economy and way of life.
Public Health
Here in the Four Corners we live under a giant methane cloud that compromises our health. Air pollution from the oil and gas sector is a statewide problem that needs statewide solutions. Oil and gas operations contribute to poor air quality on the West Slope: La Plata County received an “F” from the American Lung Association for ozone pollution.
Costs
When oil and gas companies waste natural gas by deliberately burning it, releasing it into the air, or by not fixing leaky equipment, Colorado taxpayers lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars in royalty and tax revenue each year.

Durango Oil and Gas Public Meeting
2020-02-21 16:00 - 18:00 | La Plata County Administration Building Board Room, 1101 E. 2nd Ave, Durango, 81301, United States
Stand up for New Oil and Gas Protections
After nearly a decade in the making, Colorado passed major oil and gas reforms in 2019 affirming that its agency, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), will place health, safety, and the environment before industry profits.
Now, the COGCC is holding a series of upcoming rulemakings required by these legislative reforms. These rulemakings will create new policies surrounding the COGCC’s new mission, alternative location analysis, and cumulative impacts analysis.
The COGCC is hosting a stakeholder outreach meeting in Durango on Friday February 21st to provide an overview of these rulemakings and take public comment. Your voice is critical to the outcome of these new rules- come tell the COGCC that Coloradans want new oil and gas policies that prioritize health, safety, and the environment!
Background Information
To fulfill their new mission, the COGCC is updating the rules and regulations governing the oil and gas industry. The COGCC was also directed to create and implement two new forms of analysis that will ensure their permitting decisions fully account for the protection of our health and safety, the environment, and wildlife.
These analyses are known as Alternative Location Analysis, which requires operators to propose alternative locations for development that will minimize impacts to health, safety, and the environment, and Cumulative Impacts, which requires the COGCC to take a holistic view of the impacts of drilling in the immediate, short, and long term to a wide range of topics related to health, safety, the environment, and wildlife.
Tips For Public Comment
Tell the COGCC who you are and where you live, and be sure to personalize your comments! You are an expert on your own story- talk about why you care about this issue and how you are personally impacted.
Talking Points:

All rules must be statewide in order to protect all Coloradans. We oppose any basin specific exceptions, as both urban and residential impacts should be considered.

All rulemakings must prioritize protecting health, safety, the environment, and wildlife over corporate interests

Mission Statement: Key Messages

Impacted people and communities deserve access and adequate notice to be involved and influential in the permitting process.
Environmental resources, including wildlife and habitat, such as riparian areas, and public water supplies and groundwater should be strongly protected.

Alternative Location Analysis: Key message

Alternative Location Analysis should carefully evaluate locations that push development into communities with already high levels of pollution and density of oil and gas development.

Cumulative Impact Analysis: Key message

The Cumulative Impact analysis should include an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions and effects on climate change from oil and gas development

Four Corners Climate Conference
2020-03-27 02:30 - 11:00 | San Juan College, Henderson Building, Rm. 9008, 4601 College Blvd., Farmington, NM, 87402
CANCELLED
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and for the safety of our community, the Four Corners Climate Conference has been cancelled this year.
