BLM balances protecting lands, oil shale research

We fully understand why energy companies are at odds with the Bureau of Land Management over its new plan for oil shale development on public lands.

Industry sees the Obama administration proposal — which would keep oil shale activity off thousands of environmentally sensitive acres — as another attempt to regulate a new technology out of existence before it even becomes commercially viable.

But if one looks at the history of failed attempts to find a way to make oil shale development economically feasible in the West, combined with the possible environmental harm of the mining process, the BLM’s new plan makes a lot of sense. In fact, it could actually lead to development of energy technology that would be a huge boost to the industry and the nation.

The Bush administration had made almost 2 million acres available for potential oil shale development, but environmental groups sued three years ago on the grounds that the feds didn’t fully investigate possible environmental harm.

Read full text: The Wyoming Trib