Bennet Statement on BLM's Plan for Oil Shale Development in Colorado

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) announcement that it has published its plan to support research and development of oil shale technologies on Colorado’s public lands.

“Colorado enjoys an abundance of energy resources that when developed responsibly will help us diversify our energy portfolio and lessen our dependence on foreign oil.  I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to the research findings of the Interior Department, and industry, to determine whether oil shale may someday become a viable part of our energy strategy.

“Colorado knows all too well what can happen when we rush into oil shale development. This plan will help ensure that any future commercial oil shale enterprise will proceed in an environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically viable way. In Colorado and throughout the west, we must ensure that development of our energy resources takes into account our water resources, which are critical to farmers, ranchers, and our state’s economy.”

More information on BLM’s announcement can be found here. Click here for Bennet’s past statement on oil shale development in Colorado.