Amy Mall's Blog: Curbing Pollution

Texas: 1 in 5 natural gas well sites emits too much benzene

2010-01-27T22:38:40Z

An article in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram speaks for itself. Excerpts:

State regulators found high levels of benzene at more than one out of every five sites in the Barnett Shale natural gas field, according to results released Thursday.

Benzene levels exceeded the recommended safe levels at 21 of 94 sites, the agency said.

One company has already made repairs at a site where the benzene level measured 1,100 parts per billion, hundreds of times above the state and federal standard of 1.4 parts per billion.

A sample at another well had a benzene concentration of 15,000 parts per billion.

Benzene is a known human carcinogen and causes leukemia, as well as other very serious illnesses. This issue is not limited to Texas. High benzene levels have also been detected in Colorado. It's been demonstrated that adopting air pollution control technologies can make companies millions of dollars.

These test results are unacceptable and confirm some of the public's worst fears. Alarms have been raised that demand an immediate response in every state, not just Texas. Each and every well should be inspected for similar threats to human health. More vigorous regulation, inspection and enforcement is essential to protect human health and the environment from toxic air pollution.

Inspections and enforcement of oil and gas wells not protecting communities or the environment

2010-01-27T18:22:40Z

In a recent post I blogged about widespread concern across the country of insufficient regulation, inspection, and enforcement by state regulators.

A scathing new investigation by ProPublica shines a much brighter light on this issue. The investigation examined 32 states and found that regulatory staffing levels have not even come close to keeping up with growth in the industry. Some of the most terrifying findings:

Texas has over 270,000 wells (including disposal wells) and only 83 field inspectors. Nearly half of the wells had not been inspected in the five years between 2001 and 2006, and 30 percent of spill complaints were inspected late or not at all.
West Virginia has over 55,000 wells and only 17 inspectors. A state official said: ""We are doing what we can do, [b]ut that still leaves thousands of wells that are not inspected yearly or even every decade." The number of new wells drilled increased 53 percent from 2003 to 2008 but regulatory staffing increased only 20 percent.
A report by our friends at the Western Organization of Resource Councils found that the Bureau of Land Management reduced inspection and enforcement dramatically during the Bush years. The agency issued fewer enforcement actions in 2007 than it did in 1999, inspectors spent a third less time on environmental inspections, and inspectors completed only 15 percent of the highest-priority inspections.
New York State has seen a 676 percent increase in new wells drilled each year, but actually cut its inspectors by 20 percent.

ProPublica created a database of the inspection capacities in 32 states. You can check your own state on their website.

ProPublica quotes a former Schlumberger hydraulic fracturing employee who worked in Texas, where the Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas wells, for several decades: "I never saw a Railroad Commissioner on one of the sites."

Never saw an inspector. Over several decades.

Not only are inspections low, but there are also serious concerns about the actions taken by state regulators if, and when, they do investigate a complaint.

In May, 2008 (almost two years ago), an outfitter in western Colorado drank his water and became ill. It turns out there were very high levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, in his water. This outfitter had to hire his own consultants to try to get to the bottom of what happened, and has completely lost his business. This case is still under investigation by the state regulators. That means that no one has been cited or fined. In the meantime, a spill has occurred in the same area and new drilling is planned for the area.

In December, 2007, over two years ago, there was an explosion caused by drilling in Bainbridge Township, Ohio. the State did not issue an order to install new water lines to affected homes until April, 2009. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources continued to issue drilling permits to this operator until the fall of 2009, almost two years after the accident, when it finally got serious about requiring new water lines to be put in place. Over 40 homes are still without clean water sources. The operator has not been fined. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has found over 900 incidents of water contamination linked to oil or gas drilling, but has denied only two permits for environmental reasons.

In Pennsylvania, U.S. Energy violated the law over 300 times before the state issued a cease and desist order that prohibited new drilling. That company is now allowed to drill again and has been fined.

As I mentioned in a previous post, state regulations are not sufficiently protective to begin with. Even if they were, inspection and enforcement is frighteningly lax.

Does anyone feel protected out there besides the industry?

The toxicity of oil and gas waste: Exxon-Mobil pleads guilty

2009-08-24T18:14:44Z

Earlier this month Exxon-Mobil Corporation pleaded guilty in federal court to causing the deaths of approximately 85 birds that were exposed to toxic oil and gas waste left in open air pits and tanks in five different states. These birds were protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and their deaths were a violation of the law. The birds included various duck species, grebes, owls, hawks and an ibis that landed in these waste facilities in Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

At a minimum the pits should have been netted to prevent birds from landing in them, and the tanks should be covered. But open air toxic waste pits do not just threaten birds - they are dangerous for humans, livestock, and other wildlife species. These pits can contaminate our air, groundwater, surface water, or soil. They can even be located near homes.

As I've discussed in previous posts, most oil and gas waste in the U.S.--regardless of how toxic it may be--is exempt from federal hazardous waste regulations. That has left regulation of these materials up to the states, and state regulations vary widely, as discussed in a report from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. In some places the waste is dumped near waterways or in backyards. Sometimes the waste is just buried on site.

It is time to close the loophole in federal law. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sets standards for toxic waste management to prevent harm to human health and the environment, and provides a powerful incentive for a company to minimize waste and pollution. Unless--like oil and gas waste--there is a special exemption.

Alternative solutions exist, making a change in the law sensible. Pitless drilling, also known as 'closed-loop' drilling, uses storage tanks instead of open air pits. Already in use by many companies, comparisons have found these systems to be cost-effective and even profitable. They maximize the ability to reuse and recycle drilling fluids, there is no need to pay for pit construction, and truck traffic and water use can be reduced.

More information on toxic oil and gas waste, and solutions to clean it up, can be found in NRDC's report Drilling Down.

Protecting drinking water for 15 million people in the Delaware River Watershed

2009-06-04T18:50:13Z

The Delaware River Watershed supplies drinking water to approximately 15 million people and gets its water from four states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale formation underlying two of these states, Pennsylvania and New York, is expected to dramatically increase in coming years. With this industrial development comes a range of environmental threats, including drinking water contamination.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) recently announced that natural gas drillers must get DRBC approval before beginning any natural gas extraction project in shale formations that are located in Special Protection Waters, including the Wild and Scenic Delaware River, treasured for its exceptionally high water quality and outstanding natural resources. This approval is needed for all aspects of natural gas production operations, including the wellpad, waste pits, water withdrawals and discharges of wastewater, until permanent regulations are approved.

The order is groundbreaking because it applies to any size operation, whereas DRBC usually only reviews operations above a certain threshold. In this case, DRBC determined that natural gas projects will have a substantial impact on the Delaware River's water resources regardless of their size.

EPA Administrator travels to see gas drilling in Wyoming

2009-05-20T00:53:38Z

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is travelling to Wyoming later this week. She is being hosted by Governor Dave Freudenthal on a tour of energy production sites, including a natural gas drilling operation in Pinedale.

NRDC has worked with local partners for years to help protect the wildest lands around Pinedale, in the Upper Green River Valley, from irresponsible energy development. The area provides some of the West's most vital wildlife habitat, including an ancient migration corridor for pronghorn, mule deer, elk, moose, and big-horned sheep. One special pronghorn herd migrates 150 miles twice a year, farther than any other land mammal in the Americas, aside from caribou. Pronghorn are the sole species in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem that is native only to the American West, and are the fastest distance runners on earth, reaching speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. I know you thought the cheetah is the fastest -- but not over distance. Can you tell I am a fan of the pronghorn?

Now back to energy. Not only is wildlife habitat being threatened in western Wyoming, but so is human health. The Pinedale area has been experiencing elevated ozone levels over the last two winters, including violations and advisories. This is in a rural area of western Wyoming that until recently had some of the purest air in the nation. EPA regional staff gave the Bureau of Land Management's plan for the area an "unsatisfactory" rating, and asked the BLM to strengthen protections for air quality. In addition, water contamination has occurred. Benzene has been found in over one-third of the monitor water wells in the area, with some benzene levels greatly exceeding the EPA standard.

NRDC's local partners, including the Upper Green River Valley Coalition, Powder River Basin Resource Council, Wyoming Outdoor Council and Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, have been working for years to address drilling impacts on Wyoming wildlife, ranchers, hunters and anglers. But the air and water contamination in the Pinedale area is only one example of the harmful impacts of oil and gas production that is operating under outdated regulations that do not reflect industry expansion or technological advances. With an industry presence in 34 states, air and/or water contamination has recently been reported in Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana. EPA can play a critical role in addressing the growing threat to air, water and public health from oil and gas production across the country.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson agrees to look into hydraulic fracturing

2009-05-19T22:58:13Z

Earlier today, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. During the hearing she was asked about the risk to drinking water safety posed by the practice of hydraulic fracturing, given recently reported incidents from several states of water contamination linked to the practice. Administrator Jackson stated that EPA should look into the issue and review the agency's position.

This is great news. Hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of fluids, often containing toxic chemicals, into oil or gas wells at very high pressure. These pressurized fluids are used to crack open the underground formation to allow oil or gas to flow more freely and increase production. Fracturing is highly variable and unpredictable, and can lead to unintended consequences, such as contamination of drinking water. Studies show that, while some of the injected fluids are returned to the surface, some remain underground. In some cases, they are injected directly into underground sources of drinking water.

This practice should be regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) like other forms of underground injection. Yet, in 2005, Congress exempted hydraulic fracturing from the SDWA to the benefit of Halliburton and a handful of other hydraulic fracturing companies. Closing the Halliburton Loophole would not shut down drilling or mandate a burdensome new permit process; it's time to reverse this hand-out to special interests.

Families in places as diverse as Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado and Alabama have experienced drinking water contamination linked to hydraulic fracturing, with impacts to their own health and that of their livestock. We need a minimum federal standard to prohibit drinking water contamination and shine a light on hydraulic fracturing.

Oil and gas impacts on livestock health?

2009-05-05T23:35:45Z

In Drilling Down, we wrote about Elizabeth Chandler, a veterinarian in western Colorado. Dr. Chandler has been observing health changes in livestock, including goats, pigs and cattle, that are kept near natural gas production activities. She is particularly concerned about reproductive changes, including unexplained, dramatic increases in birth defects, stillbirths, and reduced fertility, where she has ruled out other potential medical causes through testing. One hog farmer estimates his losses at more than $50,000. We also wrote about Rick Roles, who observed reproductive changes in his horses and goats, and ranchers in New Mexico who have lost cattle that were exposed to oil and gas waste.

Other parts of the country are now reporting livestock impacts from oil and gas production. Oil and gas chemicals are suspected as the cause of the deaths last week of 16 cattle in Louisiana. A Pennsylvania farmer is concerned about the recent deaths of four cattle. A farmer in Arkansas told me about her concerns that natural gas production is the cause of death and other health effects in her cows. Almost 25% of her cattle died when kept in a pasture where three wells were drilled above the water source - a loss of over $35,000. She has also observed stillbirths, birth defects, and drastic reductions in milk production. Tests indicated lead, arsenic, barium and other heavy metals that are above safe levels in their soil and water. A goat farmer in Oklahoma who is located across the road from oil and gas activities told me that her goats stopped producing milk; she sold them all and her farm is now in foreclosure.

A 2000 study looked at possible associations between oil and gas operations and cattle reproduction and mortality, and found an increased risk of stillbirths linked to exposure to flaring of sour gas (gas with high levels of hydrogen sulfide).[1] A 1991 study reviewed seven cases of suspected poisoning of livestock related to oil and gas materials in Oklahoma, cases described as routine in oil and gas producing areas of the state.[2] We should be concerned about all of these reports; we need more science on this topic. Livestock incidents may be an indicator of contamination of air and water that can impact humans as well as animals. In addition, there may be risk to humans who eat or drink products from these animals.

[1] Waldner, C. L. et al., Associations between oil- and gas-well sites, processing facilities, flaring, and beef cattle reproduction and calf mortality in western Canada," Preventive Veterinary Medicine 50 (2001) 1-17.

[2] Edwards, W.C. and D.G. Gregory, "Livestock Poisoning from Oil Field Drilling Fluids, Muds and Additives," Veterinary and Human Toxicology 33 (5) October 1991, 502-504.

National media covering toxic oil and gas waste in....Ecuador

2009-05-04T21:30:17Z

Both National Public Radio and CBS's 60 Minutes recently reported on a lawsuit in Ecuador where rural citizens are suing Chevron for polluting their environment. One of Chevron's claims is that the methods used in Ecuador -- including unlined, open air waste pits -- are legal in the United States and, by implication, just fine for human health and the environment. Just because unlined, open air toxic waste pits are permitted in the U.S. doesn't mean they are safe for human health or the environment. These pits can contaminate air, groundwater, surface water, or soil, and present hazards to humans, wildlife, and livestock. Research found increased cancer risks associated with living in the communities in Ecuador where these activities took place.

Most oil and gas waste in the U.S.--regardless of how toxic it may be--is exempt from federal hazardous waste regulations. That has left regulation of these materials up to the states, and they all handle it differently. Sometimes the waste is dumped near waterways or in backyards. A recent report from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law reviewed different state regulations for oil and gas production. Among the report's findings are that some states have stricter standards than the practices in Ecuador: some states specify minimum distance requirements from pits to important values such as natural resources, schools, and hospitals; and some states require pits to be lined and set standards for liner integrity. Wyoming mandates that so-called "pitless" drilling systems be used in areas where groundwater is less than 20 feet below the surface. While some of our waste management standards in the U.S. are stricter than Ecuador, we have a long way to go before we can provide an appropriate model for other countries.

Pitless drilling, also known as 'closed-loop' drilling, uses storage tanks instead of open air pits. Already in use by many companies, comparisons have found these systems to be cost-effective and even profitable. They maximize the ability to reuse and recycle drilling fluids, there is no need to pay for pit construction, and truck traffic and water use can be reduced. Pitless drilling should be used in more places, especially near any sensitive resources or in communities. Other oil and gas waste management solutions include reducing the use of toxic materials in the first place, and finding less toxic alternatives.

For more information on oil and gas waste management and solutions to clean it up, please see NRDC's report Drilling Down.

A better oil and gas industry for Colorado

2009-03-30T17:06:18Z

Thanks to the dogged persistence of Governor Ritter and his expert staff, Colorado has new oil and gas rules that will help make the industry a better neighbor and position it for a cleaner and stronger energy future.

The new rules were finalized last week, but the change started in 2007 when Governor Ritter asked the state legislature for the authority to change the make-up of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Prior to 2007, the Commission, which regulates oil and gas production in Colorado, consisted of seven members, and it was required by law that at least five of them worked for industry. Now, the Commission consists of nine members, only 3 of whom must have industry experience, and it reserves one spot for someone with substantial environmental or wildlife experience, and another for someone with substantial experience in land conservation or reclamation. This was a terrific way to begin oversight reform.

The new rules are a reasonable response to an unprecedented drilling boom in Colorado - one that is being replicated across the country. Colorado went from a state with 1,000 drilling applications in 1996 to over 8,000 in 2008.

To be honest, many feel the rules do not go far enough in protecting human health and wildlife. But they are a giant leap forward, and we hope just one of many regulatory improvements nationwide. Among other things, the rules:

require operators to maintain an inventory of chemicals kept on site nears wells;
help protect drinking water by creating buffer zones near drinking water sources and requiring monitoring of well pressure and water quality in some circumstances;
require emission control devices on certain equipment located near homes, schools, and other occupied buildings;
improve regulation of waste, including toxic waste;
require operators to work with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to develop mitigation plans when drilling occurs near sensitive wildlife habitat such as sage grouse breeding and nesting areas, elk calving habitat, and black-footed ferret habitat;
prohibit drilling to the maximum extent possible in critical wildlife habitat such as big horn sheep lambing areas and adjacent to native cutthroat trout streams; and
provide a formal consultation role for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Division of Wildlife to protect public health, the environment, and wildlife.

While industry opposed these new rules, they are reasonable and appropriate. The oil and gas rulebook in Colorado has been updated to better reflect current knowledge about the impacts of oil and gas operations and the technologies available to reduce these impacts. The rules promote thoughtful and comprehensive planning of oil and gas industrial sites in advance, to minimize ground disturbance and environmental impacts -- something that should also save industry money.

The Governor and the legislature heard the cries of local communities who have experienced industrial activity and were asking for better protection of human health, livestock health, and wildlife habitat. Clear skies and pure water are essential not only for our health, but for preserving our state's economic assets and quality of life.

Coal ash meets oil and gas waste in Arkansas

2009-03-17T18:16:01Z

Several of my colleagues have been blogging about coal ash -- waste from coal-fired power plants that is contaminated with toxic metals. More than two-thirds of this waste is dumped into landfills, storage ponds or old mines or otherwise stored somewhere. In Arkansas, some of this coal waste is dumped in pits used by the natural gas industry to store drilling waste, and buried. Some of these pits are on people's property, close to their homes, and the toxic ash blows in the air. Here are some photos of coal ash that settled on a plant and on a pool toy in people's yards.

Currently, this coal ash waste is exempt from regulation as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

RCRA is the principal federal law designed to ensure safe management of hazardous waste and prevent new toxic waste sites. It sets standards for waste management in order to prevent harm to human health and the environment, and provides a powerful incentive for a company to minimize waste and pollution.

Most oil and gas waste is also exempt from the hazardous waste provisions of RCRA, due to a 1988 EPA decision. At the time, an EPA official was quoted in the press as attributing this decision to "....solely political reasons, despite a scientific determination of the hazardousness of the waste." With cleaner, affordable alternatives available to industry, it's time to close this loophole.

More Evidence: the Sensibility of Closing Clean Air Act Loopholes

2009-02-12T20:32:50Z

A new report was just issued on "Emissions from Natural Gas Production in the Barnett Shale Area and Opportunities for Cost-Effective Improvements." The report was conducted by Dr. Al Armendariz, an environmental engineering professor at Southern Methodist University.

Among his conclusions:

(1) The oil and gas sector likely has greater emissions than motor vehicles in the five counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area with significant oil and gas production.

(2) Natural gas drilling in the region is generating considerable emissions of air toxic compounds like benzene and formaldehyde.

(3) The predicted 2009 emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane are roughly equivalent to the expected greenhouse gas impact from two 750 megawatt coal-fired power plants.

(4) Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Armendariz concluded that cost effective control strategies are readily available "off-the-shelf," can substantially reduce emissions and, in some cases, can reduce costs for oil and gas operators due to a resulting increased production of natural gas and condensate. In an interview with Land Letter, he said that, "These solutions are universal.....People can certainly start applying these ideas in other areas."

Our conclusion? It's time to update our regulation of hazardous emissions from oil and gas exploration and production, starting with closing the loopholes in the Clean Air Act. Technical solutions are readily available to protect human health and our climate, and they don't pose an unreasonable economic burden to companies.

Backyard drilling -- not just in the Rockies

2008-11-06T20:42:40Z

I used to live in Los Angeles near the famous La Brea tar pits. It turns out I lived above an old oilfield that had been drilled in the early 1900s. I now live in Colorado, but recently I've heard from Los Angeles residents who live not too far from where I did. They're concerned about new drilling in their community. One person told me three wells would be less than 50 feet from his house.

Health concerns have already surfaced elsewhere in the Los Angeles area. In 2006, extremely strong odors from a drilling operation prompted Los Angeles County to institute a temporary moratorium on drilling new wells in the Baldwin Hills area so that officials could assess current regulations. In Beverly Hills, families are suing over health impacts from wells adjacent to the high school; journalist Joy Horowitz wrote a book about the issue. There are also concerns in the Wilmington area.

Community drilling, sometimes called "urban drilling," is causing alarm elsewhere in our country. Earlier this year, a drill rig was set up in the courtyard of an apartment complex in Mentor, Ohio and the law did not require that apartment residents be notified. In Bainbridge Township, Ohio, a 2007 gas leak caused one house to explode, is threatening another, and is reported to have contaminated the well water for at least 27 other families.

In Booneville, Arkansas, residents report that drilling has led to contamination of their well water with large amounts of benzene and diesel. Previous posts of mine discuss contamination in Pennsylvania and the Rocky Mountain region.

'Setbacks' are restrictions on how close a well or associated equipment can be to a home, school, stream, water well, or other protected place. Some cities in Texas have a setback for oil and gas wells of 1,000 feet for residences, public parks, schools, hospitals, religious institutions, water wells, or public buildings. In many areas of Colorado, however, the setback from homes is only 150 feet -- although that may change with new regulations. Better regulation is needed to ensure protection of human health and the environment, starting at the federal level with the closing of loopholes in environmental laws discussed in the NRDC report, "Drilling Down."

President-elect Obama on oil and gas, health and science

2008-11-05T15:32:58Z

As a non-partisan organization, NRDC does not endorse candidates, but now that Barack Obama has been declared the winner of the presidential election, we can begin to look at the environmental implications of the voters' decisions.

Last week, Senator Obama was interviewed by a Colorado newspaper about energy issues in the Rocky Mountain region. I encourage anyone interested in these issues to read the article. He discusses his concerns about the lack of balance in the Bush administration's efforts to promote "unbridled development," the critical need to develop collaborative solutions with a wide range of stakeholders, including conservationists, local communities, ranchers, sportsmen and business, and the importance of sustainable management to preserve our natural resources for future generations.

On the topic of human health impacts of oil and gas production, Senator Obama discussed the importance of open and honest science and stated that, "....the health of surrounding communities is absolutely vital, it is absolutely critical." Regarding oil shale development, he said more research is needed.

Senator Obama's concerns echo those of many residents of the Rocky Mountain region who experience first-hand the impacts of the Bush administration's agressive energy agenda -- an agenda that NRDC and many other organizations have been fighting for almost eight years now.

I am really looking forward to working with a new administration in Washington to restore balance to the management of our public lands, ensure that respect of science is a guiding principle, and take a hard look at the environmental impacts of oil and gas development and the new policies that are essential and the technologies that are readily available to protect human health, clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, and our disappearing wildlands.

Upcoming report on the air quality impacts of oil and gas production

2008-10-17T23:01:25Z

The Colorado Air Pollution Control Division projects that in 2010 oil- and gas-related sources will comprise 69% of the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in areas of Colorado outside of the Denver area and El Paso and Pueblo Counties. This is an increase from 35% in 2005.

A recent article in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram discussed air pollution produced by natural gas extraction in Texas and and an upcoming report on the topic. This report will likely have information that is applicable elsewhere and we're looking forward to seeing it.

Fine print, oil shale, and Cap'n Crunch

2008-10-08T19:28:47Z

Read the fine print and you'll find that the financial rescue package passed by Congress last week also provided a big favor for dirty fuels that have a much greater climate impact than conventional fuel. Yep - more than $4 billion of taxpayer dollars was given away to oil companies refining tar sands, oil shale, or liquid coal. This special gift was included even though companies are already building tar sands refineries without any government hand-out.

Dirty fuels have been a hot topic in D.C. this year. Some politicians claimed that oil shale regulations were needed to help lower gas prices. This was pure snake oil, given that research on oil shale technologies won't be completed for years, and any real commercial-scale production is likely decades away. But companies are interested in locking in favorable rules to lease large tracts of public land while there is an industry-friendly administration, and the Bush administration is cooperating by rushing to finalize regulations before it leaves office. How a government agency can write regulations for an industry that does not exist and for technologies and impacts that are unknown is beyond me. Nevertheless, the administration's proposed regulations offer favorable royalty rates to industry and lack environmental protections. Some members of Colorado's congressional delegation worked to put these regulations on hold until research is completed and industrial impacts are known, but were unsuccessful in the melee of gas price politics.

Last week I visited the lands in western Colorado that are the prime target for oil shale development. Much of the land remains untouched and a haven for wildlife.

NRDC recently co-sponsored a series of presentations in Colorado and Utah on oil shale and tar sands. Photographer Garth Lenz presented his photos of the tragic devastation occurring in Canada's boreal forest. His photos are a lot better than mine! You can see them yourself at: www.garthlenz.com. His photos hold important lessons for any future oil shale development in the lower 48. In addition, energy analyst Randy Udall presented his analysis of oil shale, including his conclusion that oil shale has less energy potential than Cap'n Crunch® cereal.

You can read more about these dirty fuels at www.stopdirtyfuels.org and about NRDC's proposals for cleaner solutions through fuel efficiency, conservation, and renewable alternatives at: http://beyondoil.nrdc.org/.