~ OTR Delayed Indefinitely ~

Federal Judge's order ensures OTR will not begin until all legal proceedings have concluded and final rulings are made.

September 12: Judge Kane prohibits any and all OTR construction or other physical progress until further notice from the courts. Read more about OTR's delay and the lawsuits.

Other background and reference information:

Read more about ROAR's Federal lawsuit vs BLM.

Read about ROAR's legal challenge of Colorado State Parks' agreement to permit "Over the River."

Read ROAR's informational brochure outlining current OTR issues.

To our members and supporters:

ROAR's Board of Directors would like to thank you for your continued support. This is NOT over yet! And please, keep in mind that we can still use your support. In addition to the new lawsuit against BLM, we continue with the lawsuit against Colorado's Department of Parks and Wildlife. Click on the Paypal logo at left, or contact ROAR to find out how you can help. We appreciate you!

ROAR's official objections fall into two major categories:

1. Management Policies and Laws in the proposed project area.

These include items such as conflicts with current and historical management missions and directives, protection of specific wildlife and environment in the project area, restricted surface activities (such as drilling), visual intrusion, and other management directives.
Our concerns also include violations of federal laws by the BLM when they approved the project and relate to requirements of the Federal Land Management Policy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

2. Specific adverse affects that will result from all phases of the 3-year presence of OTR.

Our comments cited specific and significant impacts to area residents, such as safety and emergency response; restrictions to public access; major traffic delays; economic impacts to area businesses and jobs, particularly to recreation industries; environmental degradation to wildlife, habitat, air and water quality.

Find out more about ROAR's concerns with OTR

Click through our website links to learn about:

• How the influx of the projected 344,000-400,000 tourists will create a traffic nightmare on the narrow 2-lane canyon highway (U.S. 50).
• How emergency and fire personnel will have great difficulty responding to accidents or fires in the canyon or surrounding area.
• Concerns as to the increase in visitors also bringing more litter and human waste to the canyon.
• Permanent defacement of the riverbanks.
• Bighorn sheep, elk, deer and other wildlife kept from accessing the river for water.
• Bald and golden eagles kept from fishing and hunting.
• Difficulty, or even impossibility, of fishing of these waters.
• Negative economic impact on commercial and recreation industries that travel the canyon daily.