Stan
Well-known member
The art of "sequester" has stimulated discussion on how to maintain and sustain the ever growing activity of the federal government on prized lands such as our national parks. I would hope to avoid a political debate on the sustainability of preserving such precious places but thought many might be interested in how Yellowstone Park is approaching the prospect of becoming self sustaining, i.e. becoming less reliant on tax funded dollars.
One proposal is to tap the underground reservoir of magma which is the souce of the park's spectacular geysers and hot springs. The warm waters have, in the past, heated facilities, including greenhouses, for winterkeepers. Now it my be harnessed to generate power for sale outside the region. Truly, an indefinite, clean and "renewable" resource, the main objection being the intrusion of the transmission facilities to take this power outside the park. On the advocates' side is the notion that this would in some way relieve the pressure that may someday cause an eruption of the whole Yellowstone area that could devastate civilization as we know it.
Another more controversial proposal, on which some development has already occurred, is to develop condominiums along the Yellowstone River just below the Lower Falls in the scenic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This unauthorized photo shows progress as of last fall.
One proposal is to tap the underground reservoir of magma which is the souce of the park's spectacular geysers and hot springs. The warm waters have, in the past, heated facilities, including greenhouses, for winterkeepers. Now it my be harnessed to generate power for sale outside the region. Truly, an indefinite, clean and "renewable" resource, the main objection being the intrusion of the transmission facilities to take this power outside the park. On the advocates' side is the notion that this would in some way relieve the pressure that may someday cause an eruption of the whole Yellowstone area that could devastate civilization as we know it.
Another more controversial proposal, on which some development has already occurred, is to develop condominiums along the Yellowstone River just below the Lower Falls in the scenic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This unauthorized photo shows progress as of last fall.
