To meet our needs and support our built environment, we need electricity which can be
generated by using the resources of natural fuels. Most resources are not renewable; there is a
limited supply. In obtaining resources, it is often necessary to drill oil wells, tap natural gas
supplies, or mine coal and uranium. To put water to work on a large scale, storage dams are
needed.
We know that any innovation introduced by people has an impact on the natural environment.
That impact may be desirable to some, and at the same time, unacceptable to others. Using any
source of energy has some environmental cost. It is the degree of impact on the environment
that is crucial.