The Geothermal Energy Debate Hits Home Temi Roberts
Richard Anderson takes a deep breath as he looks out over his Southern Oregon ranch from his front porch. Richard's grandfather built the successful cattle ranch more than seventy years
ago The Andersons have wordked hard to grovw their business while protecting the land that they love by employing the latest environmentally friendly technologies. One such developme
has left the Anderson family between a rock and a hard place.
Part of the Anderson ranch sits on top of a shallow aquifer with low mineral and gas content, making it the ideal spot for a geothermal electric development site. Geothermal energy
hamesses the heat naturally produced under the Earth's surface. By injecting water into wells under the ground, the geothermal plants produce steam to powver turbines and produce
clectricity
Though geothermal energy has always existed, scientists first recognized its potential to produce electricity in the 1900s. The United States curently leads the rest of the world in
geothenal energy production, with dozens of plants across the westem states providing clectricity for millions of homes. The current energy crisis has shifted the spotlight to geothermal
technology. Many proponents argue that this renewable resource would help break the United States' dependence on foreign oil. The process is also much cleaner than traditional methods
of producing electricity. Geothemal plants have low emissions; many sites only relcase excess steam into the air.
The Andersons are currently bcing courted by a private power company interested in building a geothermal plant on part of the family's 5,000 acres. Though the venture would be profitabl
for the family, the Andersons have their own concerns. They worry that the construction of such a plant would destabilize the land. Richard Anderson is also concermed about how dissolvec
minerals from geothermal fluids would be disposed of. Many companies inject the mineral back into the wells with excess water, but there is always the possibility that some of these
minerals could seep back into the ground.
Richard Anderson is facing increasing amnounts of pressure from his neighbors, many of whom favor the geothemal plant and believe that it could help reduce their energy bills.
The Andersons agree they need more infomation before they can make a decision. Unlike the rest of the town, the Anderson family's closest neighbors have thrown their support bchind
Richard.
He's a good man," says neighbor Bill Pawley. "He' l do what's ight for this town and his family-he always has." Pawley is mnore than five miles down the road from the Andersons, so
he is unconcemed with the idea of the plant disturbing his way of life. He figures that many things will remain the same if the plant moves in, but bis wifc Lyd
wories about the increase in traffic on their quict road. The fuels released from the construction vehicles could certainly affect the air quality for several months. Bill fecls s ncertain. this is a minor Lydia
price to pay for a cleaner source of renewable energy
Back at the Anderson ranch. a wide grin passes over Richard's lined face as he talks about growing up on the ranch. It is casy to tell that this man doesn't just live on this landpart of the
land lives inside him. He wants to make the best possible decision for his land and his family.
1. Which BEST describes the narrators tone in the second half on the passage?
A) angry
B) annoyed
C) fearful
D) sympathetic

2. We read the first paragraph what is the writers attitude toward the Anderson family based on the language that she uses
A) amused
B) antagonistic
C) objective
D) sympathetic

3. Which best describes the narrators tone in the second half of the passage?
A) angry
B)annoyed
C)fearful
D)sympathetic