Report on geological potential of the areas adjacent to the proposed Ouray-Interstate 70 highway

The area affected by the development of the highway (hereafter referred to as the study area) consists of approximately 1,824,000 acres of land that contain known and potential mineral and energy resources. The study area is located in the eastcentral and southeastern Uinta Basin, and the lowlands south of the Book Cliffs. The study area is defined generally as an area that could be impacted by the proposed highway. The area extends from the Book Cliffs on the south to the Red Wash oil field on the north; the west boundary is the Green River which forms a natural barrier, the easter boundary is approximately the Utah- Colorado border, east of this border access can easily be made by other means. The main access in the study area will likely come from the proposed highway. Figure 1 shows the proposed highway location and the study area. The benefit to the area would be improved accessibility provided by the proposed Ouray-Interstate 70 highway. The Uinta Basin contains a number of conventional and alternative energy resources. As conventional oil and gas reserves are depleted, interest in new exploration and alternative fuel sources should increase. Some of the most promising alternative fuel sources are large and widespread in the study area. During the high oil prices of the early 1980's this area attracted many energy development projects. Figure 2 shows the locations of proposed oil shale and tar sands projects and the location of the proposed highway.