Washington – Colorado Democrats are angry that a congressional committee chairman from California is pushing for faster development of oil shale in western Colorado.
A plan by House Resources chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., would throw out a compromise on shale development reached in the energy bill approved over the summer. Pombo wants to block environmental challenges and cut requirements for federal agencies to consult state and local officials.
Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, and Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., say Pombo is pushing Colorado into shale development faster than it wants to go.
“I resent this California attempt to dictate to Colorado how we should develop oil shale,” Salazar said.
Udall sits on the committee that is to vote on the energy legislation today and said he will try to get Pombo’s language stripped out.
“The proponents of this don’t live in Colorado, Wyoming or Utah,” Udall said, noting that the shale language was developed by Pombo and Nevada GOP Rep. Jim Gibbons. “Some of the rest of us think we ought to have some say in this.”
Pombo spokesman Brian Kennedy said it’s important to develop new sources of oil.
“This is certainly bigger than the state of Colorado,” Kennedy said. “This is about energy for the entire nation.”
The energy bill passed last summer had set a fast-track plan for cooking oil out of rock in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, saying the federal government should be ready to lease land in 2 1/2 years.
The bill said there had to be a thorough, but fast, environmental review. And it said the Bush administration had to consult with states and local governments before leasing.
Now, using the same legislation that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pombo wants to strip out the consultation requirements and block any potential challenge to the environmental review by green groups, residents or local governments.
The legislation would cap royalties oil companies would pay in the first 10 years at 3 percent. Also, more than one-third of all shale lands would be leased in the first sale.
Mike Soraghan can be reached at 202-662-8730 or msoraghan@denverpost.com.
