Anti Oil/Gas Drilling Drives Stalled in Colorado

Coloradodrilling

Colorado voters won’t be casting ballots in November on an issue to curb oil and gas activity in the state after the secretary of State ruled two such measures failed to come up with enough valid signatures.

In one case, the state found enough signatures had been submitted but not enough to compensate for ballots rejected in a random sample, according to a report by UPI.

One initiative, labeled No. 75 called to give more control to local governments to regulate oil and gas activity including a ban on hydraulic fracturing. Another issue, No. 78 called for a mandatory 2,500-foot setback around oil and gas activity.

Supporters of the issues now have 30 days to appeal the decision made by the Secretary of State on Monday.

“Short-sighted initiatives like these do nothing more than hurt Colorado’s economy and our nation’s position as the world’s leader in production of oil and natural gas,” said Tracee Bentley, Colorado Petroleum Council Executive Director following the ruling.

The petition drives were launched more than a year after voters in Denton, Texas took similar steps and approved restrictions on oil and gas drilling and fracking. But the Texas State supreme court overturned the referendum.