State of the Rockies

Crucial Choices Around Energy Development

By Jonathan Weber, 4-05-05

With oil prices continuing to climb and no end in sight, energy development is emerging as perhaps the central policy issue for Western states. The Colorado College State of the Rockies report card does a good job of framing the debate, with lots of data on energy production around the region and current and future demand, but it carefully avoids taking sides. The report lays out three broad policy approaches: the Bush Administration's, which is all about developing fossil fuels and emphasizes the alleged barriers that stand in the way of oil and gas exploitation in the West; the Western Governors' Association's approach, which supports new development but emphasizes the need for conservation and investment in alternative fuels; and the the Western Resource Advocates recommendations, which seem to mean all conservation, all the time. We'll come back to this issue later in the week: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Rocky Mountain Insitute President Amory Lovens are both scheduled to speak on energy issues at the Colorado College conference tomorrow.

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