Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO)  introduced an amendment to slow down the rush to approve commercial oil shale mining on public land in Western Colorado, and despite some touch-and-go moments late on Wednesday, the amendment was passed.  The amendment will stop the BLM from issuing final regulations for oil shale mining in the next year.  That, in combination with Shell's recent announcement that it will not seek research and development approval on public land until at least 2009 puts the looming threat of oil shale mining in several sensitive spots on the West Slope a little further out on the horizon.

In less happy news, Congressmen Mark Udall and John Salazr (D-CO) tried to introduce an amendment to defund drilling on the Roan Plateau but were thwarted at the 11th hour.  Their amendment represented a significant opportunity to protect the Roan Plateau, as so many in Colorado and on the West Slope in particular want to see happen.  It also represented a bold statement of support from both members of Congress, and they both deserve praise from conservatoin-minded citizens for their effort.

Many other amendments both positive and negative for the environment failed, and the main elements of the spending bill include both some encouraging attempts to adequately fund conservation (including an $8 million increase for the Fish and Wildlife Service to spend on its endangered species programs) and some status-quo spending levels for other programs that were defended from attack during the House deliberations.

Environment & Energy Daily has reported on the full results of the Interior appropriations approval.