[RFPCME]

What I forgot to mention in my earlier post concerning oil shale development in eastern Utah is the impact on Salt Lake City.

To be sure, there will be jockeying between SLC and Denver to see who gets most of the back-office infrastructure necessary to support the development. SLC has a natural geographic advantage. Denver has the experience.

To me, what needs to happen very fast at the State and local level is an acknowledgment of the potential and plans made to make the most out of it. For example, the development will require international capital...no question. It would be nice to see the Governor's office put together a "trade mission" to the Middle-east, especially the Persian Gulf States, to form the personal and financial ties necessary to fund the development and equip it. The construction of the Burj Dubai (the world's tallest building by far) in Dubai is just one example of how important these connections will be. My guess is that this activity is more than enough to keep Utah's World Trade Center immensely active for the foreseeable future and to fund its development.

Next, it would be nice for local planners and developers to propose plans for a massive "Energy Center" somewhere in the CBD of SLC to provide important co-location of businesses required to support the development. Such plans would demonstrate local initiative and perception.

Finally, anything that can be done on the State level to bolster engineering, geological, and geo-physical education and research in the State will be a big plus. As well, plans to improve transportation infrastructure need to be made. A rail spur from the current UP lines in Carbon and Grand counties to the production areas is a good example.