BOARD02203

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/1975
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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whatever you say, we are going to have some strip-mining until we can
get the energy. There are a few areas that the Governor and Mr. Sherman
are looking into. We wanted you to know of that aspect of it because
it is a whole new look at the project.

Senator Hart: Well, around here the junior people speak first, and
then, when they have made fools out of themselves the seniors will
reverse them.

Two observations. One is that I would want to look at any project like
that, and I know the specific one you are referring to. I would want
to know what the benefits to the people of Colorado would be in that
particular area, statewide.

Second, I think your observation about the Secretary of the Interior is
exactly right. He does represent a national point of view that says
that the State of Colorado and states like it which are energy rich are
going to have to bear probably a disproportionate burden of the energy
bill for several decades.

I think that puts a tremendous counter-burden on people like Floyd and
myself, other people, duly elected representatives, the Governor and
others, to guarantee that in the rush of this country to provide addi-
tional energy supplies, a lot of which in the current usage pattern are
being wasted, the de~ree to which we should permit our State to be -
I don't want to say destroyed" in that process. I, for one, feel very
strongly that the burden to prevent that from happening is on us. We
are going to have a shortage of energy in the future, but I don't think
it is going to be such that we need to destroy the State of Colorado,
or even particular areas in the state in the process.

Senator Haskell: Mr. Sherman mentioned the Governor's viewpoint yesterday
afternoon. I have not yet received the letter. I would subscribe to
what Ga;r said. After all, our state has got to look what's in it for
us. I t.,ink Secretary Morton on the state issue erred a little bit,
saying that the federal government is going to say, "The hell with
Colorado" because the federal govertU'1ent can I t do that; number one.

And, number two, the strip-mining bill has gone through the House and
Senate by such a margin to override a veto, at least in my opinion.
This specifically not only provides a standard, but guarantees states
the right to adopt laws affecting public lands, as well as private lands.

So, I think if a state has sufficient resources, clout, put it that
way, to protect the interest of the state, I would look at a project as
to what it is going to do to employment. I am basically for the state,
and frankly the fact that the energy happens to go out of the state is
not of tremendous concern to me. What is of concern to me is what type
of employment opportunities it will provide; what other benefits it
will provide; the environmental question. The fact that the energy
generated goes out of the state is not of great concern to me.

Mr. Stapleton: Do any other Board members have questions they would like

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