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<br />~Vhr 0;1 shale now!
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<br />Energy C,i"i,,: The pnerg\ nisi... and If"> eiiell!> on thl'
<br />U.S. economv han' resulted in a call for national
<br />energv seli-sufficipnev. Oil shale is one of America's
<br />largest unde\'eloppd en erg" resourct''i and is one lAith
<br />great potential for b(~(oming productive in the next
<br />few decades. Thu,> il is now being c<ltted upon to
<br />become an important part oi the nation's future energ\'
<br />mix. Although ils contribution to the lotal U.S. energv
<br />production will be small, it will be in the vital form oj
<br />petroleum.
<br />Economic Security: Toda"',, pPtroleum shortages
<br />and soaring prices are threatening America's ('('onomie
<br />and employment stabilil\'. Thus oil-shale deV€'Jopment
<br />is viewed as one significant step in rpaching national
<br />enl'rgy independence-and economic SE'curitv, Also
<br />this industrv will {'vE'ntuall~ hplp rpduce the need jor
<br />oil imports, thus improving America's unhealthv bal-
<br />ance-ol-payments situation,
<br />Economic Competitiveness: According to the oil
<br />industry, never bt..fore has shale oil been competitive
<br />with other oil sources, such as cheap oil imports and
<br />domestic crude. Now the<;e <;.QurceS.He not a.. cheap or
<br />as availabll'. Thu<;., ,lt last. the nation's oil compani(!...
<br />ieel the} can "arlord" to dl'velop oil ..hale.
<br />Government Go-Ahead: The majoritv of America's
<br />oil-shale resources lie in publicly-owned lands. De-
<br />spite various experiments, there ha.., been little incen-
<br />tive tor iull-scalp commercial development. Thi.., i.., no
<br />longer the ca<;p. And. a.. of January 19i4, the gmern-
<br />menl has opened six tracts oi its land, via public leaw
<br />sales, to pri\'all' industrv for protolvpe commercial
<br />developmenl.
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<br />Whdt dre the chd/lenges t
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<br />Unkno",n.. and Uncertainties: Oil ...h.llt" likE' an\
<br />new large industn ha<; its ..hare oi qu{'stion mark..,
<br />ranging from whether commt'rcial proce....es will rt'alh
<br />work to hO\\ signIficant ..ocioeconomic and t'nviron-
<br />mental impacts will be. As oi vet. no dearcut an..wer...
<br />exist, although dozen.. or experimpnt~ re"earch
<br />..tudie.., impact anal~..e.. and economic report-. on oil
<br />..h,llt:, h,l\l' Jln',ld\ bt't'n prt.'part'd. In racl. it is likel\
<br />that never bel ore ha... ...uch a ma....lve pldnning eMort
<br />.1("comp,mi('d a _\lounlain We<;t indu<;\rial de\t'lop-
<br />
<br />4 ('ECeTl\! \\'1..1 ElI....CH\I..R~ (01110... r..b",." ''l-~
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<br />men!. Some "'(Jurce.. bt'lie\l:C' existing studie.. provide
<br />enough insur.1nc(' .lgainst reallv damaging impacts.
<br />Other.. ..av the potential hazards are so great lh.lt the
<br />pace should be ..lowed until more question.. are an.
<br />s\H'-red. The potential challt'nges of ,hi.. new industry
<br />include:
<br />Woller Availability: Oil-..hale plants are big water
<br />usprs and \\ater is scarce in the region. Discussions of
<br />water use generallv cenler around agriculture, now the
<br />prime mainstav of the oil-shale region's economy.
<br />Some predict thaI oil-shale \,ater use will dry up local
<br />ranch .1nd farm land. Indu..trv spokesmen say the
<br />indu<,tr~' will minimize it.. use of agricultural water
<br />rights. A third group points out thaI oil shale will not be
<br />tht' area'.., only big water u..ers and calls for an inte-
<br />grated \\ atN-use plan.
<br />Water Salinity: The salinitv debate ha.. many facets,
<br />the mos! discu<;.st'd again is watt'r consumption. Oil-
<br />..hale plants will draw relativeh fresh water oul oi the
<br />Colorado River, and not return an\', thus increasing the
<br />river's salin it\'. Downstream irrigation projects are
<br />much wor..t.' ottenders than oil-shale plants ..hould be,
<br />but the Colorado Rh er has no margin oj saietv. Pro-
<br />posed s.llinit~ solution.. include lining irrigation ditch-
<br />es with ('onnete. building expensive desalting plants
<br />or diverting some natural salinity source...
<br />Air Pollution: Transpurtation raises the major air
<br />pollution problem expecled from oil-shale d~\'elQf'-
<br />ffient. The Colorado oil-shale region. like Denver,
<br />suiters from air imersions-air-pollution com-
<br />pounders. Most believe Ihe rpgion \\'ill need .care~1
<br />land-use planning and good ma..s transit ..ystt'ms to
<br />prevt'nt population growth from cau..ing hazardouS air
<br />pollution. Air pollution Irom oil-shal(' plants them-
<br />...('Iv€'.. i.. ...till an unknown, lhough much debated.
<br />qUuntlty.
<br />land Use: Oil-shale development. and its related
<br />urbanization, will una\oidabh take large amounts of
<br />land aw.1\' irom lhe agricultural and open range area..
<br />oi tht' region. ..\nd mam ..ourees iear the efiecls on
<br />wildliie, ior the region is kno\\n as a wildliie area
<br />und boa..,t" ot the large..t herd oi migrator~ deer in th('
<br />\\orld. As a result, mam observers, including industrial
<br />and environmental groups, fa\or the creation of \\ ild-
<br />liie refuges in the area.
<br />Re..egelation: \tam belie\e the fate at th(" deer
<br />herd, hO\\f'\t'T, re..t~ in large part on tht' success oi
<br />re\egt'tation oi proce~sed shale, \\hich will be dis.
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