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USBR cuts 613,000 acre-feet of water from Colorado River users; Lake Mead to operate in Shortage Condition 1 for 1st time

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The projected water year 2021 unregulated inflow into Lake Powell—the amount that would have flowed to Lake Mead, the reservoir created by Hoover Dam, without the benefit of storage behind Glen Canyon Dam—is approximately 32% of average. Lake Powell water elevation. Under this tier, Lake Powell will release 7.48

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Encana challenges EPA draft Pavillion groundwater report

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a subsidiary of Encana Corporation, says it strongly disagrees with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) preliminary conclusions on fracking in its draft report related to the groundwater study in the Pavillion natural gas field of Wyoming. The natural accumulations of gas and water are in discontinuous (unconnected) sand pockets.

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Study Finds Regional Variations in Irrigation Practices Can Push Corn Ethanol Water Requirements 3x Higher Than Earlier Estimates; Need to Account for Regional Specifics in Mandates

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Top: County-level corn production and ethanol facilities in 2007. Bottom: EWe and TCW of each state as of 2007. The foreground bar height indicates the EWe of each state, with the portion of ground and surface water indicated by color. Each state illustrates a significantly different degree of water dependence year by year.

Water 170
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US Department of the Interior Offering Second Round of Oil Shale Research and Development Leases; Cuts Potential Commercialization Acreage 87.5%

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The US Department of the Interior (DOI) is offering additional opportunities for energy companies to conduct oil shale research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects on public lands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Earlier post.) The allotted acreage for commercial development represents an 87.5% Earlier post.) Secretary Salazar.

Oil 170
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Report finds Coal-to-Liquids and Oil Shale pose significant financial and environmental risks to investors

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Ceres recently released a new report concluding that coal-to-liquid (CTL) and oil shale technologies face significant environmental and financial obstacles—from water constraints, to technological uncertainties to regulatory and market risks—that pose substantial financial risks for investors involved in such projects.

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Alaska Senators Introduce Legislation Permitting Advanced Directional Drilling for ANWR

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Mark Begich, D-Alaska, would allow access to the coastal plain’s oil and natural gas resources through the use of underground directional drilling from state-owned lands to the west of the refuge and state waters from the north. The legislation seeks to find a compromise with those concerned with preserving the 1.5

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