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<br />environmental and water pollution problems. The disposal of millions <br /> <br />of tons of shale residue obviously presents a problem of gigantic <br /> <br />proportions. In addition to environmental and aesthetic problems, <br /> <br />further contamination of the Colorado River from the percolation of <br /> <br />dissolved solids will not be a permissible practice. In place, oil <br /> <br />shale is neither permeable nor soluble. After processing, the residue <br /> <br />is both permeable and soluble. <br /> <br />The Colony group believes that these problems can be solved <br /> <br />by the compaction and revegetation of the shale residues. Field <br /> <br />demonstrations indicate that proper compaction can reduce the residual <br /> <br />material to a state of relative impermeability. With proper con- <br /> <br />touring and adequate fertilizer and water, revegetation of the spoil <br /> <br />material can be accomplished in a period of about three years. This <br /> <br />process accounts for much of the water requirements visualized by <br /> <br />the Colony group--requirements which were not computed into the <br /> <br />water estimates made in the 1950's and 60's. <br /> <br />A significant fact in the proposed Colony development is <br /> <br />that no water which it diverts from the Colorado River will return <br /> <br />to the stream. While this may solve environmental and pollution <br /> <br />problems, it aggravates the water supply problem. We suspect that <br /> <br />as other companies get into production, their operations will follow <br /> <br />much the same pattern already established by Colony. <br /> <br />The in situ process has been hailed by some as the answer <br /> <br />-4- <br />