Washington D.C. – This morning at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where Senators had the opportunity to question Interior Secretary Nominee Doug Burgum about his priorities, Senator Hickenlooper made a point of telling Gov. Burgum about the Thompson Divide, saying that in Colorado "we have some places where local governments, the local community, the ranchers... joined arms side by side to protect lands."

Burgum made clear that energy dominance is his guidestar, but Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper also used the hearing to underscore the importance of protecting public lands in Colorado and the value of these special places to Coloradans. Senator Hickenlooper extended an invite to Burgum to "come walk that landscape with some of the local ranchers and farmers there, so you can get a sense that this isn't a partisan issue. This is a piece of land that pretty much everyone in the community has decided needs to be protected."

Burgum responded graciously saying that he "would look forward to it." So, the table may be set for another Secretary of Interior to come to Colorado and explore the Thompson Divide and see firsthand how much broad-based community support there is for protecting this special place. 

Senator Hickenlooper reminded Burgum that he was a geologist, and said that he “took a pretty deep look at the seismic and couldn't see much source there, much potential" for oil and gas development in the Thompson Divide. Hickenlooper’s statement is supported by recent statements from the oil and gas industry and experts.

For example, Kathleen Sgamma, the head of the Western Energy Alliance trade group, which represents oil and gas companies in nine states, told the Colorado Sun that “most oil and gas companies abandoned the Thompson Divide years ago.” Chris Winter, attorney and executive director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, agreed with Sgamma, describing the industry interest in the Thompson Divide as not a priority: “The oil industry has been really clear throughout this process that it's not their priority to get into that area for more exploration and development, primarily, I think, not only the public interest in conserving and protecting that area, but because of the oil and gas potential there,” Winter  said.

Further confirming that protection of the Thompson Divide doesn’t present an obstacle to industry priorities, the recent administrative withdrawal of the Thompson Divide even garnered support from a local leaseholder. 

Hickenlooper's main point was simple: some places deserve protection. The Thompson Divide is a place where, for more than a decade, diverse stakeholders—including sportsmen, ranchers, business owners and local governments—have united to advocate for protection from new oil and gas leasing. These sentiments echo those of the countless elected officials, business owners, recreationists and residents of Colorado who wholeheartedly supported the recent mineral withdrawal, and agree that any attempt to revisit or undo it would be misguided. 

Local ranchers and community members were quick to voice support for Senator Hickenlooper and Thompson Divide protections.

Carbondale rancher Bill Fales, who has long been active in the campaign to secure protection for Thompson Divide said: “We’d relish the opportunity to get out onto Thompson Divide with Senator Hickenlooper and Doug Burgum. Local communities, including people from all walks of life and all political parties, have worked together to secure protection for this area for more than two decades. Unified for Thompson Divide is our rallying cry, and we’d love the opportunity to show him why that is.” Fales also thanked Senator Hickenlooper for listening to local communities and for his work to secure protections for the Divide. 

Discussion of the Thompson Divide begins about 2 hours and 25 minutes into the hearing.

The hearing can be found here: https://www.energy.senate.gov/hearings/2025/1/hearing-to-consider-the-nomination-of-the-honorable-doug-burgum-to-be-secretary-of-the-interior