Is oil shale finally an economically and environmentally source of energy for the U.S.? It seems that oil companies and the feds think so, according to the Houston Chronicle. From the article, "Companies hoping to tap an estimated 100-year supply of shale oil locked in rock formations under Colorado, Utah, and southwest Wyoming have won federal approval for experimental extraction projects. Not since the 1980s have companies been as interested as they are now in extracting oil from the rock, which has historically been a laborious and expensive process. The Interior Department authorized 10-year leases for Shell Frontier Oil & Gas Co., Chevron USA and EGL Resources Inc. for 160-acre parcels for research and development projects in northwest Colorado. The companies must submit detailed development plans, monitor groundwater, and obtain all required permits to protect air and water quality, the department said Monday in its decision. The projects could begin as early as next summer."
Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "The Bush administration Monday authorized oil-shale leases for five sites on public land in western Colorado, the first leases since the shale bust of the 1980s wrenched the region's economy. The approval was for relatively small-scale 'research and development' leases, but it was the government's biggest endorsement yet of oil shale, a vast petroleum resource with a checkered past. Officials and boosters say shale development is key to reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Environmentalists say the impact on wildlife and water quality has not been sufficiently taken into account."
Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "The Bureau of Land Management cleared the way for three oil companies to lease public land for experimental oil shale projects in western Colorado. The federal agency said Monday the research and development projects would have minimal impact on the environment, a claim disputed by environmentalists."
"2008 pres"
5:48:06 AM 
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