The whole business of renewable energy, carbon pollution and local energy self-sufficiency comes to mind as the debate continues about the huge oil trains that could come through Grand County in the future.
As reported in many places, there is a proposal to run up to 10 additional long trains on the rails through Grand County each day to take advantage of the oil fields in Utah. It’s a big deal because a new rail spur has to be built in Utah to link up with the line that goes through Grand County.
Permits are in place to allow this. If allowed, the new rail spur will be built and tar-like “heavy” crude will be shipped through Grand County to refineries east of here.
Of course, I’d rather that not happen because I see the potential for disastrous spills into the Fraser River in the Fraser Canyon, the Colorado River in Byer and Gore Canyons. That doesn’t mean the train line essentially runs right next to my backyard. My land abuts railroad property.
And then I look at my car, which runs on a gasoline engine. I look at all the cars and trucks that drive through the county and state, most of them running gas or diesel. I look at the planes in the sky running on oil. And then there’s the electricity I use, which has a carbon-fueled energy component. I feel a sense of futility thinking that somehow all this power will be replaced by carbon-free or renewable energy. Probably not in my lifetime.
It’s my way of saying that there simply has to be a bridge that takes the world from carbon-based energy to carbon-free energy. Part of that bridge is oil. And some of that oil could very well come from those Utah oil fields that may just be passing through the county and endangering our environment, namely water.
Our transition may need this oil to make the bridge to renewables relatively cheap.
And our economy here depends on the railroad, believe it or not. Perhaps the best indicator of this is the amount of property taxes paid to Grand County by the Union Pacific Railroad. For fiscal year 2021, Union Pacific Railroad was the county’s second largest property taxpayer with a valuation of nearly $21.7 million. That’s a lot of money for county coffers and other political subdivisions in property tax revenue.
I know the railroad will survive with surplus profits with or without the new oil trains coming through the county. But the railroad’s importance to the county is something to consider regardless.
Speaking of the bridge to renewables and perhaps local energy self-sufficiency, I can’t help but consider the importance of nuclear power as a way to get us from now on to total renewable energy in some moment of the future I believe that the development of new advanced and small nuclear reactors should play a role in this energy transition.
I think we could do it locally, creating jobs and new sources of local income.
The U.S. Department of Energy says these small, advanced nuclear reactors are safe, clean, affordable, and can be placed in areas where the larger reactors we’re familiar with couldn’t be placed. Perhaps one of these reactors, carefully sited somewhere in Grand or Jackson counties, could give us our own clean and reliable power for years to come. And get us clean, renewable energy in the future without breaking the bank.
Patrick Brower is the business facilitator for the Grand Enterprise initiative. Offers free, confidential business management training for anyone looking to start or expand a business in Grand County. He is also the author of the book “KILLDOZER: The True Story of the Colorado Bulldozer Rampage.” He can be reached at 970-531-0632 or at patrickbrower@kapoks.org.
