Show Federal Oil Shale Lease Sites Selection Told Secretary of the Interior Rogers C IJ II n. n Morton recently announced that six tracts tract two each in Colorado Utah and Wyoming have been tentatively selected from Crom the tracts nominated for consideration in the time Proposed ed Prototype Oil Shale hale Leasing pro program ram A draft environmental environmental en en- Impact statement covering these six tracts Is expected to be he completed com for Cor public review by June 1 1 THE SELECTED tracts In Utah lie In Uintah County Immediately south of the White River In 10 30 S. S legs 2 21 24 and 25 g E. E This area is ill about 45 miles southeast of Vernal Information concerning the characteristics of this region can be obtained from the BUM 1 sta state te office orrice This step carries forward the directives lives tives of or President Nixons Nixon's Clean Energy Message of June 4 1971 Secretary Morton said We arc announcing the proposed selections now so that resl residents of the region environmental and energy groups 1 industries and others interested in oil shale development development-as as well as Federa Federal Fed Fed- era eral state and local governmental staffs starrs can begin their investigations of the selected sel tracts now in preparation for Cor the review process in accordance with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 PRESIDENT NIXONS NIXON'S message observed ob oh- served that there Is no commercial production production production pro pro- of shale oil in the tho United States Stales at this time because a mixture of problems problems lems loins environmental legal technical and economic have made past efforts ef ef- efforts forts at development unsuccessful A preliminary plan for development of each site would be incorporated with the lease offer at the time of the sales considered considered con con- for December 1972 Data received received received re re- from nominees and evaluation by knowledge engineers already indicate that a diversity of technology will be bo represented including surface and underground underground underground under under- ground mining surface retorting and situ In processing the Secretary said He lie also noted that the nominations submitted submitted submitted submit submit- ted had recognized the environmental criteria outlined in t the e Interior Departments Department's Departments Department's De De- preliminary draft environmental environ mental and program statements of June 1971 THE TRACT selections was based onan on onan onan an evaluation of such factors as as the potential potential potential pot pot- for progressive stimulation of technology resource availability potential potential poten- poten recoverable resource interest in the area sufficiency of data elata and a recognition recognition that environmental impacts must be minimized Several experimental production methods methods methods me me- have been developed all involving the heating of oil shale to more than the contained an organic material material mat mitt erial to shale oil This is a low sulfur oil which can be refined further into most of the conventional petroleum products pro pro- ducts INTERIOR OFFICIALS noted that oil from shale besides being relatively lowin low lowin lowin in potential pollutants could help hell meet meeta a substantial portion of the Nations Nation's energy en en- energy ergy needs for many decades However development of plants and transportation Lion tion facilities will wilt take hike time and shale oil cannot be expected to contribute significantly to U U. S S. S Energy consumption consumption tion until the Ute at best if the prototype prototype prototype pro pro- is successful and a mature industry industry in in- deve develops ops thereafter Representatives of of the Governors of all three states have affirmed their sup sup- port of the site selections with Secretary Moi Mortons Morton's tons ton's office The Secretary gave cred cred- credit it to the complete support and input offered by the Advisory Task Forces of Governors John A A. A Love of Colorado Calvin L L. L Rampton of Utah and Stanley II II Hathaway of Wyoming without their help we could not have accomplished accomplished this litis detailed planning for an oil shale industry through prototype development development development devel devel- which we wo believe will be a model for future mining and mineral development he added THE SECRETARY also noted that several tours of the proposed sites will willbe willbe willbe be conducted by the Department for interested interested in in- parties Arrangements may be made by contacting the Department of Interiors Interior's Deputy Oil Sal Sable Sahle e Coordinator Feder Center Denver Colorado |