Last year, Representatives Mark Udall and John Salazar passed crucial legislation which prevented the use of taxpayer dollars to complete a leasing program before we know what technologies will make extraction viable. This moratorium is up for renewal in Congress this spring. 

Add your voice to the powerful coalition of citizens, local governments and organizations currently working to make sure that we GO SLOW on oil shale! Write a letter below asking Congress to keep the moratorium in place until West Slope communities can gauge the real impacts from a commercial industry.

Please take a moment to take action below and ensure the BLM will not waste taxpayers' money until we have the facts.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

In the FY08 Interior Appropriations bill, Congress approved a funding limitation that withheld monies for the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) implementation of commercial leasing regulations for oil shale. This funding limitation was approved because oil shale extraction technologies remained unproven and the viability of those technologies was then unknown.

Industry and the BLM agree that it will be years before we know whether commercial oil shale production is even possible. We do now know, however, that BLM's Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) shows the impacts of commercial oil shale development in western Colorado will likely be significant to the region's clean air, clean water, water supply, and wildlife habitat, as well as local economies and communities. It could also have substantial global warming impacts.

Before BLM finalizes commercial oil shale leasing regulations or begins issuing commercial leases, we need to know what technologies will be used and where development will take place.

I therefore urge you to support efforts to extend current Congressional funding limitation into the FY09 Interior Appropriations Bill.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 25, 2008