The Colorado Plateau Coring Project (CPCP) plans on continuously core the early Mesozoic strata on and off the Colorado Plateau [right, Painted Desert, AZ. Credit CPCP] as part of the International Scientific Drilling Program. The goal is to address "major, outstanding issues of early Mesozoic chronology, paleogeography, paleoclimate, and biotic evolution, including mass extinctions, that are relevant to the themes of interactions between environmental change and major events in the history of life, as well as the context for understanding anthropogenic climate and biodiversity crises."
A workshop is being held in Albuquerque May 8-11 for researchers interested in planning the drilling program. Ron Blakey of Northern Arizona Univ. is one of the workshop convenors.