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<br />'~peopl(' here have been talking
<br />about oil shale since the 1920!>, .md
<br />lhev canOl understand why it is nOl
<br />used yet" '>.IV'> Hm..ard Rltzma, assist-
<br />ani director 01 lhe Utah Geological Sur-
<br />vey. VVhile Utah's parllon oi oil-shale
<br />country is nOI as rich as Colorado's-
<br />the tnterior Dep!. e\p("(t<; Utah to contribute 15 percent
<br />of shille.oil production as opposed to Colorado's 80
<br />percent-the deposits <Ht' very much considered a
<br />SOUfCt' ot potential beneht to Utah. For, according 10
<br />Ritzma, the de'iolat{' Utah shale lands could support at
<br />leasl "a halt [entur\' oil-shale induslrv" and Utah \\.lnh
<br />Tholl industrv.
<br />Ho\\t'....er, todd)' the Utah deposit<, Mt' stuck in the
<br />middle 01 a national/state lug-of.\\ar. Undl'f the policv
<br />oi "in lieu" land sl'lt'Clion right.... ba~ed on the premi~l:'
<br />that land takl:'n tram the ...tatl:' b\' the ledt'fal governml'nt
<br />musl be paid bacl< in tht' iorm oi olher iedt'rallaods,
<br />Utah has a~"ed tor portion... oj the oil....hale Mea. includ.
<br />ing the two trael... propmed ior It'dt'fal leasing. Thi~
<br />request has raised a storm oj prote~l.
<br />Environmentalists, pDintlng tD Utah Gov. Calvin
<br />RamplDn's ...taled dl'sirt> to go tull-spet>d .llwad on
<br />dt>\'e1opment. iear that environmental regulations will be
<br />100\t'red Dn the Utah land. although the gD\'l'rnor vows
<br />to lollow all !I:'deral requirements. Other crillCs 01
<br />Utah's request haw charged that WashingTOn should
<br />not gin> a\..'av <,uch \'aluabll' public land. The Utah gov-
<br />ernment, however, points out that it a...ked lor the lolnd
<br />I) \'l'ars ago. beiore it was considered valuable. How.
<br />evt'r, Utah will prob.1bl\ not get lhe land for some time,
<br />ii at all. The tedNal go\'t>rnment has been dl'laving ih
<br />decision lor st,\t'f.11 vt'ar~ .1lreoldv' and Inlt'fior SeCfet.H'\
<br />Morton retenth lold tht' people at Utah not to l:'\peCl
<br />one in Ihe immt'diate iuture.
<br />~everthele~s, whether oil-shale dl:'\'t'lopment come...
<br />undl:'r the auspict'S oj the ~t.1le or tederal government,
<br />Rifzma rt'ports that the majority oJ Ut.1hns look iOf\\'ard
<br />to development. One rea...on: according 10 some, the
<br />oil-shale industrv could actuallv improve the appearanct'
<br />oj lhe- area. "The Utah oil-..hale area today is an ae..thet.
<br />icalh- Ull-Iv count!"..," sa\'s Riuma. "Ilhml< lhe region
<br />could be t'nhanced b\ de\'elopmenl that could ut>att'
<br />lakes and hilb" in the 00"," b.ufen area. Other~ antici-
<br />pale the iinancial benefits 01 a large induw\-'-especialh
<br />since it is e\pected to help the Ute Indians in the area.
<br />\\ho are nm\ at the bottom ot the economic ladder.
<br />Utah'... malO concern over dt'\'elopment, Rllzma sa\s,
<br />"is that Utah oil-..hale \\or"er~ \\ illli\'e auo.... the bor-
<br />der in Colorado:' thu.. compounding ta\-di...trict prob-
<br />It"ms.
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<br />24 EHCliTl\l \\',f 81'..CH\\A,n (OIlIO'" f..bt"~" 1"-~
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<br />jrom shopping centers to banks to construction firms.
<br />As McSparran of Colony puts it: "Ii we bring in a plant,
<br />it will supply a largt' tax base and more wages. This will
<br />aUract a diversltv of business and will re.1t1v be quite a
<br />boon for the econom\'."
<br />Bul. a.. McSparran also points out. the oil-shale
<br />industrv will have to e!>tablish itself first belore manv
<br />new busine..ses come rushing in. So, lor th€' moment.
<br />the area is mainlv e\periencing a boom in land specu-
<br />lation. .\lan~' Coloradan.. iOrt'see unhappy conse-
<br />quences irom this phenoml'non. tor uncontrolled land
<br />speeul.ltion olnd development i.. rapidlv creating a
<br />,>pra\\ling. ..trip-city along Colorado's Front Range. But
<br />Gigoux hopt.., thl' oil.shale rl>ginn will bl' able to avoid
<br />thi.., tate. He sav..: "\\'e do havt' .,Hict subdivision
<br />regulation... tholt must be met."
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<br />New economiesflifestyles
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<br />Just a.. oil shale will bring new economic structures,
<br />so it must al.,o bring nt'\v wavs of life. Todav the
<br />oil..,hale region is de-scribed as a quiet place to live
<br />where local residents feel a strong allachment to tht'
<br />land. Oil-shale development, lil..e anv large new indu..-
<br />trv coming into ol rural Jrt'a. must inevitably cholnge
<br />that wa\' oj IiiE'.
<br />As nt'\\ peopll> begin to move into the area bec.lu,>e
<br />of .lit the growth iorces at work, the three counties wilt
<br />probablv come face to face \\'ith the boom-tm\'n prob-
<br />lem. Small towns ha\'e found that r.lpid growth brings
<br />with it ..ucial problem... !ouch a.. rising divorce ratt'<"
<br />Inl'ntal illne..s olnd higher rate<, oj peltv per<,onal crime.
<br />Today, the oil-<,hale counties art' working to <,et up
<br />organization.. to deal wilh the expected boom.town
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<br />For the present residents 01 the region, there \'vill be
<br />other dramatic eNeet... Gilmore Of DRI point!' out that
<br />"Ranch hands will be lured olwav irom the ranches bv
<br />the higher p.w jor con..truction work. and small bu..i-
<br />nes..men will bl' I.1H'd with nt'w, and possibly more
<br />allracti\-e, competition." Halligan oi the Council of
<br />Go\ernment.. adds tholt "People living on iixed in-
<br />come.. will be priced out oj their homes." Again, these
<br />are common enect.. oj boom-tOwn growth that need to
<br />bt' blocked, \\hethpr the gro\\lh is caused by the
<br />developmt'nt 01 second home.., energv resources or
<br />otht'r torce...
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<br />Catalyst for planning
<br />To "onll'. the problem.. oi the oil-shale indus\f\'
<br />loom n'f\ largE'. The Environmental Council oj the
<br />Colorado ,\\l'dicoll Sociel\, jor e\ample. has resolved
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