Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement: Development Policy Options for the Naval Oil Shale Reserves in Colorado.

摘要

The Secretary of Energy is requried by law to examine, from time to time, the need for development of the Naval Oil Shale Reserves. This programmatic EIS is one of the components of that examination. This programmatic statement examines five develoment policy options and eight liquid fuel alternatives, one of which is oil shale on NOSR 1. The other seven are oil shale on other lands (Colony), conservation, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), offshore oil production, coal liquefaction (SRC 11), biomass/alcohol and 'no action at this time.' The document compares the environmental impacts of two levels of production from NOSR 1 (50,000 BPD and 200,000 BPD) to those of an equivalent production (or conservation) from the other liquid fuel sources. The socioeconomic and financial impacts of the five development policy options, which range from zero to 100 percent government participation, are also evaluated. Based upon an evaluation made during the summer of 1981, the Secretary of Energy determined that the development of NOSR 1 was not warranted at that time. That 'no action' decision is identified as the preferred alternative in this EIS. The development question is being periodically re-examined, however, and should the decision be made to develop NOSR 1, a site - (and process-) specific EIS would precede any development activity by DOE and would discuss environmental impacts, including cumulative impacts, in detail.