| Show Sen Senate te Republicans to decide oil shale question in rump session By C Vernal Express Washington Correspondent Washington Washington- Senate Republican Leader Howard H Baker Jr Tenn R-Tenn will make a decision in conjunction with Republican leaders of the Senate Energy Committee and Sen William L Armstrong Arm Arm- Armstrong strong R-Colo R about how to proceed if to with proceed with oil shale legislation In the rump session of Congress on Nov 29 A meeting honchoed by Gov Dick Lamm D-Colo D in Grand Junction ear ear- early ly In the month and attended by industry and environmental representatives and local governments indicated a lack of in- in interest in terest In moving ahead with a oil shale leasing bill at this time Perhaps tract off leasing amendments to the pre pre- present present sent law might be in order the group decided d but nothing more Questions that Sen Gary Hart D D- D Colo posed to local governments and en- en environmental environmental groups before the Senate adjourned on Sept 29 resulted In replies equally negative Club 20 headquartered In Grand Junction was the only organization that favored passage of a term long oil shale leasing bill at this time In reply to the Hart questions A term long oil shale leasing bill passed the House early in 1981 Armstrong has had an agreement from Baker for some time that a long long- term oil shale leasing bill which cleared the Senate Energy Committee last December would get 2 priority in the rump Congressional session beginning Nov 29 providing the Republicans can muster enough votes to bring it up After the Grand Junction meeting Armstrong decided to ask Baker Chair Chair- Chairman man James A McClure Idaho n-Idaho of the Senate Energy Committee and Chair Chair- Chairman man John Warner R Va of the Senate Minerals Subcommittee to consider the options with him They Include the Senate bill a simple tract off leasing bill biU added by amendment to other legisla legisla- legislation tion such as the 1983 Interior Depart Depart- Department ment funding bill or a separate tract off leasing bill Hart opposes a long term long term leasing bill for oil shale such as reported out of the Senate Energy Committee last December as does Sen Howard H D Ohio So both can be ex- ex expected expected to oppose bringing up the commit commit- committee committee tee bill biU Both Hart and have holds on the bill at the present time But Hart does not oppose an tract off leasing bill which would allow a federal oil shale lessee to lease another tract of federal land on which to site oil shale reduction facilities and to store spent shale The holders of the Colorado C-a C Calease Calease lease in Colorado have sought an off off- tract lease for some time so that they dont don't have to use rich oil shale ground on which to build facilities or store shale An interesting wrinkle regarding this legislation Is that Hart Is having a fund fund- fundraiser fundraiser raiser given for Cor him by Los Angeles Oilman Marvin Davis on Tuesday Nov 30 In Los Angeles If the Republicans were able to force u a vote on bringing up the oil shale bill at that time a spokesman for Hart said here on Nov 18 that Hart would have to cancel his appearance at the raiser fund to be here to protect his interest in the oil shale bill Republican spokesmen claim they didn't plan It that way Meanwhile Inc of Salt Lake City announced on Nov 15 it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Department to produce military jet fuel Cuel from oil shale will provide barrels of crude shale oil from its shale oil facility near Vernal and the second barrels will come from the governments government's oil shale stockpile at Anvils Points In Colorado near Rifle A Salt Lake City refinery will refine the and owned government shale to Air Force standards and the Air Force will test shale oil refined ref fined f fuel uel In the engines of F 15 and F jet fighters sta- sta stationed stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah ac- ac according according cording to The US Navy has been interested in oil shale for years but this will be the Air Forces Force's first ex- ex experiment experiment with shale oil In Its jet engines the Nov 15 statement said |
