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Environmental and Wildlife Impacts of Oil Shale Production in the Western USA

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Peak Oil, Economic Growth, and Wildlife Conservation

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Abstract

This chapter summarizes the wildlife (terrestrial, avian, and aquatic) impacts of oil shale development in the western USA and places wildlife impacts in an environmental context. To the extent possible, it draws upon peer-review research results from studies within the western USA and emphasizes regions within the American West under pressure from existing oil development or slated for future development, much under federal government control or ownership or in close proximity to federal lands. It discusses oil shale, although conventional oil development is touched upon, since oil shale and conventional oil development present similar environmental, ecological, and wildlife effects. Data from oil shale development are used whenever possible and, if directly related data are unavailable, from conventional oil development, or other industries.

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    Sally L. Benjamin

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  1. University of Maryland Center for Enviro Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, USA

    J. Edward Gates

  2. University of Maryland Center for Enviro Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, USA

    David L. Trauger

  3. Center for the Advancement of the Steady, Arlington, Virginia, USA

    Brian Czech

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Benjamin, S. (2014). Environmental and Wildlife Impacts of Oil Shale Production in the Western USA. In: Gates, J., Trauger, D., Czech, B. (eds) Peak Oil, Economic Growth, and Wildlife Conservation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1954-3_12

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