Groups revise lawsuit over shale development

A revised lawsuit against the federal government says it failed to adequately consider the potential climate-change implications of designating 2 million acres of public land for possible oil shale development in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. Thirteen conservation groups made the claim this week in an amendment to their previous lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s allocation of lands for potential oil shale and tar sands development in the three states. The groups say studies suggest 10 new coal-fired power plants would be needed to support a level of initial oil shale development that the BLM predicts could reach 1 million barrels a day in Colorado. The amended lawsuit also includes new allegations that the BLM failed to properly consider air-quality impacts and failed to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as required by the Endangered Species Act. The groups raise the wildlife concern in an amendment to a tandem lawsuit challenging new BLM commercial regulations for oil shale leasing...GrandJunctionDailySentinel