Denver will be brimming with talk of oil & gas regulation today.  Don’t worry, you can make a difference without driving to the Big City! 

The State Senate will be considering a bill that would increase public health & environmental protections; the State House of Representatives will be looking at a bill that creates a disincentive for local government regulation of industry; and US Congress’ House of Reps is hearing about proposed public disclosure of ingredients used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on public lands. 

Water Rights Protection Act

The Water Rights Protection Act (SB107, Carroll – Wilson) would protect property rights, health & safety, water quantity & quality, closed loop systems, injection of cancer-causing chemicals, environmental bonding. 

Introduced by Senator Morgan Carroll (Arapahoe County) and Representative Roger Wilson (Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, Hinsdale Counties), the bill would greatly expand state agency consideration of impacts to air, water and public health.  Not only that, it considers drilling activity near radioactive materials, explosives and Superfund sites!  As it relates to radioactive materials and sites, Project Rulison is a western slope example of an underground, nuclear precursor to fracking. Let’s make sure drilling doesn’t open a nuclear pandoras box from yester-year, or that drilling and fracking don’t create new ones.

The rush to drill the Niobrara Formation around Colorado now has both sides of the Continental divide calling for healthy communities through safer drilling practices.   SIGN THE PETITION ON THE FRACKING SAFETY ACT.

Write or call West Slope Senate Judiciary members and/or leaders!
CHAIR: Senator Morgan Carroll: 303-866-4879; morgan@senmorgancarroll.com
VICE-CHAIR: Senator Lucia Guzman: 303-866-4862; lucia.guzman.senate@state.co.us
*Senator Steve King (Mesa County): 303-866-3077; steve.king.senate@state.co.us
*Senator Ellen Roberts (Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, La Plata, Montezuma & Dolores Counties): 303-866-4884; ellen.roberts.senate@state.co.us
**Western Colorado lawmakers identified with an asterisk(*)

Colorado House Bill 1356

In Colorado, local governments can (and sometimes do) regulate oil & gas development.  But if this bill passes, towns & counties setting additional safety standards would lose-out on state funding meant to bolster impacted communities. 

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, and according to the Durango Herald, “The bill would withhold payments of severance taxes to any city or county that “in any way restricts or delays” energy production.” 

Towns that have oil & gas drilling nearby shouldn’t be punished for their local efforts to conserve health, safety, and environment. So, let’s say No to this bill. By doing so, your saying Yes to safe bridges, rigs further from homes, and cleaner streams.

Contact Western Slope House Ag, Livestock & Natural Resource Committee Members!
*Vice-Chair Rep. Randy Baumgardner (Garfield, Routt, Grand, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Jackson Counties) 303-866-2949 or randy.baumgardner.house@state.co.us
*Rep. Ray Scott (Mesa & Delta Counties) 303-866-3068 or ray.scott.house@state.co.us
*Rep. Don Coram (Montrose, Delta, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, Montezuma Counties) 303-866-2955 or don.coram.house@state.co.us
*Rep. Roger Wilson (Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, Hinsdale Counties) 303-866-2945 or roger.wilson.house@state.co.us
*Rep. J. Paul Brown (La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta Counties) 303-866-2914 or jpaul.brown.house@state.co.us  
*Rep. Ed Vigil (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Huerfano, Mineral, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Saguache Counties) 303-866-2916 or edward.vigil.house@state.co.us

US Congress House of Reps Field Hearing

Washington DC may be gridlock right now, but that’s not stopping the Subcommitte on Energy & Minerals from questioning the notion of publicly listing chemicals used in fracking.  The controversial oil & gas development process that posses serious health and environmental risk could be reined-in by the BLM, and your email or call to US Congressman Scott Tipton can help.

Check out the “State of the Rockies Report” that says 63% of Colorado voters are more likely to view environmental laws more as “important safeguards to protect private property owners, public health and taxpayers from toxic pollution and costly clean -ups” than to view them as “burdensome regulations that tie up industry in red tape, hurt them too much financially, and cost jobs”