CO Ranchers, Communities Applaud Slow Approach for Oil Shale

The Obama administration says they'll be taking a closer look at some Bush-era deals to promote the development of oil shale in Colorado, and now local ranchers and communities say the "go-it-slower" approach has them breathing a sigh of relief. Doug Monger, a Routt County Commissioner, says it's good news that research into oil shale development will move forward, but he's glad that the potential effects on water, wildlife and the larger environment will be more seriously considered. Reed Kelley is a cattle rancher near Meeker, who sits on the board of the Colorado Independent Cattlegrowers Association, and who says some of his neighbors would have been directly affected by oil shale development as it was proposed under the last administration. "Water taken off of irrigated hay pastures would be a tremendous impact, and that's what some of these companies have already applied for." Kelley says people in the area also rely heavily on hunting big game locally, both for personal use and as a source of income through guiding. He worries oil shale development could take those opportunities away...read more