Researcher: Zachery Stoe and Wanjiru Mugo
Faculty Advisor: Julie Andrzejewski
Evaluator: Anthony Akubue
In the US, the Rocky Mountains are said to contain about a tenth of the country’s untapped oil and a third of its natural gas reserves. Just recently though, the Rocky Mountains, under the Bush administration, have opened up areas for what they are calling “energy exploration.” The Bush administration eased regulations and sped up permission for drilling. There is now a dense network of roads and oil drilling pads that span across the Rocky Mountains. Under the Bush administration tens of thousands of new oil and gas wells have been drilled in the Rocky Mountains West. Environmentalists say oil wells release toxic emissions like benzene, a known cancer-causing chemical, increasing health risks for people in towns near drilling. Meanwhile, the oil industry has said the drilling is an “economic necessity” and could harm the local and national economy if it is not allowed to continue.
“Rocky Mountains ‘facing oil threat’” Rob Reynolds, Aljazeera, Sept. 1, 2008
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/08/2008831143615651392.html
“Groups Sue EPA For Not Protecting Citizens From Oil, Gas Drilling.” Press Release on January 15, 2009 from EarthJustice.org (published on their website)