Don’t tar Utah
The Salt Lake Tribune
Aug 7, 2010
With little advance notice, a plan to extract Utah’s tar sands was presented last week at a hearing of Utah’s Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, which can rule on the plan in a month (“Groups challenge plans for Utah tar sands mine,” Tribune, July 27).
The Canadian company Earth Energy Resources already has permits for aquifer water and Utah’s school trust lands. No federal compliance is required for this project to go forward, and DOGM must judge only the mining features. Not even the absence of roads sufficient for trucks need be considered.
However, there are serious concerns about impacts on the aquifer and the Colorado River, the lifeline of the Southwest.
A larger concern is that increased greenhouse gases will be emitted during the oil’s extraction and consumption.
Because the greenhouse gases cause our Earth to warm, we should set a new course to get our energy from renewable, toxic-free sources, such as sunlight and wind.
The more we invest in oil, the less we have to invest in solar energy. More greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion means less snow on the Colorado River headlands. Utah should commit now to a future-minded energy plan.
Naomi Franklin
Salt Lake City
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/50043762-82/utah-energy-gases-green...
