SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS WESTERN LANDS IN THE BALANCE

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS
CATHY KAY-ECOLOGIST
WESTERN LANDS IN THE BALANCE

OIL AND GAS
TIGHT SANDS
MAHOGANY ZONE
OIL SHALE

FUTURE DRILLING ON THE
WESTERN SLOPES
• 15,000 ADDITIONAL WELLS IN
GARFIELD COUNTY IN 10 YEARS
• 20,000 IN THE WHITE RIVER BLM
DISTRICT
• 60,000 IN NORTHWEST REGION
• 800 ACRES OF BLM LAND FOR OIL
SHALE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
LEASES

EXXONMOBIL TO DRILL ANOTHER 1,080 FROM 96-100 PADS
MARATHON TO DRILL 700 WELLS
5 OIL SHALE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SITES

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
WESTERN COLORADO?
• IMPACTS ON ROADS.
• IMPACTS ON HOUSING.
• IMPACTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
• IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
• INCREASE IN POPULATION.

650 LOADS OF WELL CASINGS
210 CASING CEMENT LOADS
2,250 LOADS OF SITE GRAVEL

AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC
ROAD
CH 13 /CR 5
PICEANCE CREEK ROAD
CH13/CR5 AND CH64
NEAR MEEKER
CH 64 BETWEEN MEEKERAND NORTH END
OF CR5
CH64 BETWEEN NORTH END OF
CH64
CR5 AND CH139
County Road 5
County Road 24
DAILY
USE
2,300
2,300
830
1,700
562-1076
584

FUGITIVE DUST AND
SPEEDING VEHICLES
ALONG COUNTY ROADS
MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR
RANCHERS TO MOVE
CATTLE TO GRAZING
AREAS

TEMPORARY HOUSING
ANOTHER 500 VEHICLES
SEWAGE, HEALTH AND
WASTE

LAW ENFORCEMENT
LAW ENFORCEMENT
ISSUES HAVE RISEN BY
402% IN RIO BLANCO
COUNTY.
ACCIDENT RESPONSES
HAVE RISEN BY 142%
ON COUNTY ROAD 64
AND 101% ON COUNTY
ROAD 13.
MILEAGE DRIVEN IN
RESPONSE TO SERVICE
CALLS UP BY 79%

DRUG ABUSE
35% OF THE INMATES
IN THE RIFLE JAIL ARE
METHAMEPHTAMINE
USERS EMPLOYED BY
THE OIL AND GAS
INDUSTRY.
METHAMPHETAMINE
ISSUES HAVE DOUBLED
IN THE PAST 5 YEARS.
HUGE BURDEN ON
SOCIAL SERVICES

POACHING AND ROAD KILL

IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE
HABITAT
IMPACTS ON GRAZING AREAS
IUCN STUDY

SPLIT ESTATE ISSUES
41% OF THE MINERAL PERMITS ISSUED
THE SURFACE OWNER IS NOT THE
MINERAL OWNER
O&G WELL
O&G
WELL
O&G WELL

OIL AND GAS WELLS
ON AVERAGE 2 MILLION GALLONS
OR 6.4 ACRE FOOT OF WATER ARE
PUMPED INTO A WELL DURING
FRACTURING.
WITH AN ESTIMATED 60,000 WELLS
PLANNED FOR THE NORTH
WESTERN SLOPE IN THE FUTURE.
AN ESTIMATED 368,400 ACRE FOOT
OF WATER WILL BE REQUIRED.
A ONE MILLION BARREL PER DAY
OIL SHALE OPERATION WILL
REQUIRE 300,000 ACRE FOOT OF
WATER.
A COLORADO STATE WIDE WATER
STUDY ESTIMATED A 600,000 ACRE
FOOT WATER SHORTAGE BY 2030

COMMUNITIES ARE ENTITLED TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL, PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS AND REGULATIONS. ALL
EXTRACTION ACTIVITIES MUST BE SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE

IN COLLABORATION WITH:
CATHY KAY – ECOLOGIST
MARA FERRIS – VIDEOGRAPHER
COLORADO ENVIRONMENTAL
COALITION
JOE NEUHOF – FIELD DIRECTOR
COLORADO ENVIRONMENTAL
COALITION