WSP03239

• File Number: 8040.100
• Description: Section D General Studies - Power
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 10/8/1979
• Author: Colorado DNR
• Title: Preliminary Projections of Colorado Energy Resource Development and Associated Impacts
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

OJu'3U2

'1DI"

-31-

COLORADO'S PREFERRED LEVEL OF FUTURE ENERGY PRODUCTION:
A BLUEPRINT FOR SENSIBLE DEVELOPMENT

At a level lying be_~n_the-!OW ana~igh scenarios, there may well be

could be tit~~ferred scenario f~energy production, although such a

preferred~enario has not yet been identified with any precision. Such a
,

what

preferred scenario would represent optimal levels of production and rates of

population growth for northwest Colorado. The determination of these optimal

leVels would have to rest on a number of criteria, including:

- conservation of energy resources to maximize recovery rates

- phased development where technologies are commercially untested

- deliberate, orderly growth of communities

- maximum use of Coloradans for new energy jobs

- environmental protection and proper management

- maintenance of economic diversity and balance

- minimization of stress on renewable resources

- stable long-term economic growth

The identification of a preferred scenario of energy production in total and of

the individual levels of production for each of the four energy types making

up that total will require additional analysis. In some cases vital types of

information abOut the impact of energy production are simply not available to

Colorado government at present. In other cases, such information would be

available over a longer period of time within which analysis could be performed.

For both of these reasons no attempt will be made at this time to pvt specific

numbers on the preferred scenario.

However, the development of the scenarios used in this exercise, as well

as the analysis of those scenarios by various state agencies, has brought

Colorado state government close to the point of being able to quantify a

proposed preferred level of energy development. It is now possible to chronicle

the magnitude of change which will occur with various levels of energy resource