Gov. Bill Ritter testified in Washington on Thursday that it would be premature to write rules for commercial oil shale development on public lands when questions remain about the industry’s water and electricity needs and other environmental impacts. Ritter spoke at a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing led by Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo. On Tuesday, Salazar said he will introduce a bill that would push back the timeline for the Interior Department to issue final leasing regulations and begin commercial leasing for oil shale development. He and Ritter say those actions should wait until research into potential technologies can be finished. Otherwise, they say, it’s impossible to analyze the possible effects. Salazar asked Ritter on Thursday what kinds of demands oil shale development would create on the Colorado River watershed. “This is one of the real concerns, Senator, is that we don’t know,” Ritter said.

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