BLM Invites More Public Comment for New Oil Shale PEIS

Prospects for extracting energy from oil shale have been on a roller coaster for decades. Under the Bush administration, the industry was given a green light in 2008 to continue its research and development work for targeted areas in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. But the Obama administration is questioning those decisions, and is conducting a new Programmatic Environmental Impact Assessment.

As part of that work, the BLM is conducting seven public meetings in the three states from April 26 to May 5, 2011. The meetings likely will be newsy events, with advocates and critics representing industry, environmentalists, local governments, and other interested groups and individuals voicing their opinions.

- April 26, Salt Lake City, UT
- April 27, Price, UT
- April 28, Vernal, UT
- April 29, Rock Springs, WY
- May 3, Rifle, CO
- May 4, Denver, CO
- May 5, Cheyenne, WY

• "Oil Shale and Tar Sands" (includes map of oil shale areas); press release, April 13, 2011 (includes details on each meeting location and time); Matt Spangler, 202-912-7414.
• Previous PEIS.
• Two environmental advocacy sources: Oil Shale Facts and Western Resource Advocates.
• Three industry sources: Enefit, Shell, and overview by Environmentally Conscious Consumers of Oil Shale.