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Mark Dwyer, on behalf of Environment Colorado, writes:
The Wilderness Society is right to caution against the drilling for natural gas in Colorado’s pristine forests (“Report warns of gas boom effects,” Sept. 28). Drilling for natural gas is not the answer to our current energy problems. It only perpetuates the problem by deepening our reliance on expendable sources of energy. Our efforts would be better spent by increasing our use of renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind power. Also, drilling for natural gas would have dangerous consequences for us, as it would pollute our supply of freshwater for irrigation and consumption as well as poison our air.
The article mentioned how much the drilling would jeopardize the state economy. Currently, hunting and fishing recreational activities contribute $2.4 billion to economy, as well as provide over 107,000 jobs. Recreational activities also contribute $500 million annually in tax revenue. All of this revenue goes directly to Colorado and its people, whereas you mentioned that oil and gas revenue is not a big contributor to local personal income. Drilling for natural gas would not only endanger the forests’ natural inhabitants but our own livelihood as well.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

If the above statement can be considered as fact then Environment Colorado should produce the alternative immediately! Well? We are waiting? If you dont produce this in 5 minutes I am drilling the gas well to tide me over until you come up with it.

Still waiting! Okay, I will go catch all of the fish and shoot all of the game and burn them to keep warm! But then I would starve because I burned all of the food!

After that I am drilling the well!

I figure if drilling hurts me and freezing to death due to the lack of gas waiting for the alternative hurts me I figure I will drill the well while I am waiting for the alternative to come around.

Mark Dwyer's remarks are seriously misinformed. First, what do you think backs up the intermittent power supplied by the wind and the sun? The answer is reliable, dispatchable natural gas turbines. Second, drilling and producing natural gas neither pollutes the water nor poisons the air (please supply real evidence, not anecdotes to the contrary). Third, the $2.4 billion economic contribution of recreation is dwarfed by the $23 billion economic contribution of oil and gas extraction, which, done right, is perfectly compatible with recreation, wildiife and other environmental values.

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