ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH FORK VALLEY: Community Perspective reveals dramatic polarity between constituents and Delta county officials where the extraction industry is concerned, and calls on Delta County Commissioners to develop a Climate Action Plan and to drastically improve representation of the North Fork Valley community in energy development decisions. The report is based on a community survey designed to evaluate the perspectives of area residents on energy development in the North Fork Valley.
This is the first comprehensive survey conducted in the County on the economic, social, and environmental impacts of energy development and statistically shows that most North Fork Valley residents reject the direction that officials are taking the county in regard to the extraction industry. The report was conducted by the independent consulting firm, Weise Consulting, and its findings clearly refute the County’s claims that a “silent majority” is supportive of increased fossil-fuel extraction in the North Fork Valley.
Responding to specific questions including perspectives on the future of energy extraction projects, 93% of participants do not support new oil and gas developments in the North Fork Valley: ninety-five percent of participants do not believe that new developments are necessary for increasing county-wide revenue or creating new jobs; ninety-one percent of respondents want to transition to renewable energy jobs, while only 4% want fossil fuel energy industry jobs.
The Energy Development in the North Fork Valley Survey was made possible in part by a grant from the
West Elk Community Fund.