Salazar Takes Victory Lap for OK of Stalled Refinery 3 Weeks from Election Day

pjmedia ^ | October 15, 2012 | BRIDGET JOHNSON

[Snuph]

While Indian tribes get the short end of the stick from this administration, Obama lieutenant claims "past wrongs of history were righted."

Last week, President Obama approved the first new oil refinery in more than 30 years.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the approval of a “land-into-trust” application from the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota.

“Today’s historic decision is another step forward in the Obama administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy and commitment to strengthen Tribal communities and generate jobs for rural America,” Salazar said. “By working with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people to place this land into trust status, we are supporting infrastructure that will help bring American oil and gas to market while promoting tribal economic development and self-determination regarding land and resource use.”

The tribes requested that the Bureau of Indian Affairs take 469 acres into trust, with 190 set aside for the refinery and the remaining acreage to produce feed for their buffalo...

Salazar pitched the creation of 800 to 1,000 construction jobs, up to 140 operations jobs, and millions in annual revenue streams to benefit the tribes and surrounding rural communities, while pitching the standard administration line that under Obama “domestic oil and gas production has increased each year, with domestic oil production currently at an eight year high, and natural gas production at its highest level ever” — that hike being attributable to increased production on private lands while federal leases are stymied. ...

But there are a couple of tripping points in the Salazar victory lap.

The project was initiated under the Bush administration, in 2003, and has been bogged by delays under this White House. Republicans also wryly noted that the administration’s proposed fracking regulations could make the refinery useless if they can’t extract oil and gas

[Paladin2]

http://www.antiquark.com/sliderule/sim/virtual-slide-rule.html

[Liberty Valance]

Tradition!

[Eva]

I didn’t know about the coal being highly reactive. I did know that the coal is high water content and highly subject to spontaneous combustion. Even the PRB web site warns that coal piles should be covered and BAP, BAT standards should be followed.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would write a comment about the PRB coal for the EIS scoping. This is the period where they will take comments about what needs to be considered by the various agencies before permits can be issued.