WESTERN SLOPE OIL SHALE PROJECT SCRAPPED
Rifle—Trillions of gallons of Western Slope oil are going to have to remain embedded deep in shale rock for the foreseeable future. The last company hoping to develop an environmentally-friendly and economically-viable extraction process has decided to scrap it’s project in the Piceance Basin. Officials with Royal Dutch Shell made the announcement late Tuesday saying the markets have changed drastically since 1982 and pursuing the shale oil is no longer feasible. Shell’s decision to abandon oil shale extraction follows similar decisions made by two major industry players; Chevron in February of 2012 and Exxon on the day known in Garfield County as “Black Sunday,” May 2nd, 1982.
CONSERVATIONIST GROUP WANTS FRACKING TO END IN LIGHT OF FLOODING INCIDENTS
Greeley—Colorado Environmentalists who want to ban Hydraulic Fracturing say the dangers of drilling practice have come to light in the recent flooding on the front range. Floods in Weld County have triggered close to 35 thousand gallons of crude oil to be spilled including three in the last day and half in the Wattenberg Field alone. Environment Colorado is putting pressure on lawmakers and the industry to tighten regulations and put an end to fracking.
LOCAL TEAMS LOOKING FOR MISSING HIKER NEAR BUENA VISTA
Buena Vista—Search and rescue teams from Pitkin, Teller, Gunnison, Summit and Eagle counties have joined crews in Chaffee County to find a hiker that’s been missing for a week. According to reports from the Buena Vista Police Department, Gene George of Bay Village, Ohio spoke to a friend from his hotel room last Wednesday and told him he planned to go hiking on Mount Harvard the next day. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since then. Employees at the hotel became concerned and called the police when George didn’t check out of his room. Search teams with dogs and horses fanned out across the area yesterday but couldn’t find him.
FORT CARSON TROOPS HEADED TO MIDDLE EAST THIS WINTER
Washington, D.C.—The Pentagon announced plans to deploy more troops to Afghanistan this winter including over 18-hundred from Fort Carson. The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division will be deployed along with other units from five other bases around the country.
