October 29th, 2012 The Honorable Ken Salazar Secretary, U.S.

Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20015 Dear Secretary Salazar: We are writing to express our support for the Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) Draft Programmatic EIS (PEIS) for oil shale and tar sands development. The BLM has presented the public with a balanced and common sense approach for the potential leasing of oil shale and tar sands deposits on western federal lands and critically, it is an approach that takes into account Colorados precious water resources. Oil shale development could pose significant risks to both water quantity and quality in the Colorado River watershed. As elected officials along the Front Range of Colorado - whose communities depend on water from the Colorado River Basin - we strongly believe it is essential that any final plan guiding the development of oil shale on our public lands, must first prioritize a thorough understanding of the potential impacts this industry would have on our water resources. As you know, current technology for oil shale development is unproven and potential impacts to water quantity and quality around the state are not yet fully understood. The Government Accountability Office estimated that industrial-scale oil shale development could require as much as 123 billion gallons of water annually, which is more than the amount consumed by the Denver Metro area. Other studies estimate less water use, but the fact is we simply do not know how much of Colorados water would be needed for oil shale because we have not done the necessary research. Recently, the Front Range Water Users Council -- which collectively meets the water demands of approximately 80% of Colorados population -- requested that the BLM closely analyze the potential broad scale impacts of oil shale development before considering commercial leasing of public lands. We strongly agree, especially given that this years drought has severely strained our water supplies and there is no relief in sight. The drought underscores the fact that we cannot afford to take risks with our water and compromise Colorados farms and ranches, our world-class outdoor recreation economy, and our growing communities. Given that a commercial industry does not yet exist, it is smart to require that research of oil shale and tar sands technologies be completed first and the impacts analyzed before moving forward with a commercial leasing program. The final plan should reflect a common sense approach that puts the health of our western watersheds first, to ensure that our region continues to thrive. Sincerely, Nancy Jackson Arapahoe County BOCC Aurora, CO Claire Levy Colorado State House House District 13 Boulder, CO Rep. John Kefalas Colorado State House House District 52 Fort Collins, CO Judy Solano Colorado State House House District 31 Brighton, CO Randy Fischer Colorado State House House District 53 Fort Collins, CO Irene Aguilar Colorado State Senate Senate District 32 Denver, CO

Sen. Lois Tochtrop Colorado State Senate Senate District 24 Thornton, CO Beth McCann Colorado State House House District 8 Denver, CO Dominick Moreno Mayor Pro Tem Commerce City Council Commerce City, CO Steven Douglas Commerce City Council Commerce City, CO Morgan Carroll Senate Majority Leader Colorado State Senate Senate District 29 Aurora, CO James McEldowney Commerce City Council Member Commerce City, CO Devon Barclay Edgewater Council Edgewater, CO Gerry Horak Fort Collins City Council Fort Collins, CO Kelly Ohlson Mayor Pro Tem Fort Collins City Council Fort Collins, CO Ben Manvel Fort Collins City Council Fort Collins, CO Lisa Poppaw Fort Collins City Council Fort Collins, CO

Tom Quinn Lakewood City Council Member Lakewood, CO Anthony Nuez Pueblo County BOCC Pueblo, CO JJ Dove Thornton City Council Thornton, CO Eva Henry Mayor Pro Tem Thornton City Council Thornton, CO Faith Winter Mayor Pro Tem Westminster City Council Westminster, CO