Eastern oil shales, located in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee, may contain over 67 billion m/sup 3/ (423 billion barrels) of oil. Extraction of oil from eastern shales probably will be by surface or underground mining of the shale followed by surface retorting. Major environmental concerns will be associated with disposal of the great volumes of spent shale. The effects of shale disposal will depend upon the speed and success of revegetation of the spent shales, and potential transport of toxic constituents in the shale leachate to surface waters. Preliminary characterizations of raw and spent eastern shales indicate that most leachates will be acidic and may contain several trace metals. Revegetation potential of the spent eastern shales is unknown. Other environmental issues include the effects of mining of the shales, atmospheric emissions from shale retorting, and treatment and disposal of process wastewaters, the constituents of which are poorly known. Research needs are highlighted.