In his letter to federal officials last week regarding the possible commercial development of oil shale, Gov. Bill Ritter included the observation that, at this point, the benefits of developing oil shale do not outweigh the need to preserve the region’s wildlife, water and environment.
To which we respond: Well said, Governor.
We’re not sure the benefits of developing oil shale will ever outweigh the massive environmental and socio-economic consequences that will accompany a commercial oil shale industry.
People need to realize this will be no small enterprise or half-way endeavor. If producing fuel from oil shale ever becomes commercially feasible — and that remains a big if — it will be Katy, bar the door. Energy companies will flock not only to the 360,000 acres of public land in Colorado considered in the Bureau of Land Management’s environmental report on commercial oil-shale leasing, but on hundreds of thousands of acres of private land as well.
The BLM report predicted severe environmental consequences from possible commercial oil shale development, but even it acknowledged it is impossible to accurately predicted the impacts when the technologies for recovering oil shale are still being developed.
That’s why the governor was right on the mark when he wrote, “It’s premature for the BLM to make any decisions that allocates federal land to a commercial leasing program” now.
Faced with substantial concern over its proposal to begin developing rules for commercial oil shale leasing, the BLM at least extended the public comment period last week. But it should heed the governor and others and postpone any significant decisions on commercial leasing.
