Show Colorado energy nor ire act d told by former governor The impact of the energy development in Western Colorado with its huge coal oil shale and uranium deposits was explained to members of the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce Tuesday noon by D. D Va nd president Club 20 for Colorado West and former Colorado governor COLORADOS problems are like Utah's and we must both break ground and think ahead If we dont don't think ahead what will we leave for future generations We should start thinking a generation ahead so sowe sowe sowe we can can grow and build up the area so our children will have a good way way of life Vanderhoof stressed Club 20 is a group of 21 Western Colorado counties who have have banded together to promote Western Colorado as a group It contains third one-third of Colorados Colorado's geography but only 74 percent of the population The area is composed mainly of small towns but the area contains all the major ski resorts and tourist areas and most of or the water waler but bul ilhas very very litt little ind industry stry Vander Vanderhoof pointed out WITH THE TILE rich deposits of coal oil shale and uranium the areas will surely grow probably double in population by 1990 This is inevitable Our energy sources must be developed to supply the energy- energy short areas of the country and this will take planning pointed out Vanderhoof In the four-county four oil shale development area in Colorado planning has started Councils of governments have been organized and all areas are working back and forth with each other but this area is confronted with different entities they have to deal with How do you deal dea with this many quasi and governmental agents in just four counties concerning planning and Impact problems Colorado does not not have e answers answers t to these problems problem today emphasized Vanderhoof WE MUST get the money from a production tax to where the people are from resources All the Colorado oil shale is mostly in one county but the impact will be in three other counties We need to get money in advance of operation and come up with a new distribution of money from resources A proposal now in Colorado for coal development Vanderhoof Vanderhoof Vanderhoof Van Van- stated is to tax on the number of employees and where they reside An industry income to the state would be allocated 10 percent to the county of origin 20 percent to the state and 70 percent distributed to the he government unit according to population where the people lived involved involve in ri the tax monies to where the situation is ANOTHER approach for front-end front money would be to facilitate the issue of bonds for community development that could be paid off by a tax on the natural resource mineral being developed causing the impact Special districts could be formed formed formed for for- med several counties to share the valuation brought in by industry We must work together to develop a new spirit of cooperation for a new future for forthcoming generations concluded Vanderhoof |