Intense lobbying underway in Colorado where a drilling moratorium is at stake

Environmentalists aren’t the only ones who show they can lobby someone in Colorado. It’s where the state’s new governor Jared Polis, a Democrat has been lobbied not to enact a moratorium on all new oil and gas drilling in the state.

It’s a moratorium that could directly affected a lot of Oklahoma based energy companies who maintain operations in the neighboring state.

The pressure comes from Power the Future, a nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C.  It follows lobbying efforts by so-called “anti-drilling forces” who want Polis to implement the moratorium.

Such a moratorium, according to many experts in the oil and gas industry would in effect create a total ban on all new drilling and leave Colorado in a massive economic plight. The moratorium has been proposed after voters in November 2018 rejected an increase in the minimum setback for oil and gas rigs from schools, homes and hospitals.

“In recent years, Colorado has become an economic miracle and an example for the rest of the nation, in large part because of the state’s booming energy industry and resulting job growth,” the letter from Power the Future said.

“Colorado doubled its natural gas output since 2001, and it is now one of the top-five natural gas producing states in the nation. As Colorado’s next governor, you have the ability to protect this economic boom and keep Colorado prosperous.”

The claim that the state doubled its natural gas output since 2001 aligns with information from the U.S. Energy Information Agency.

The Denver Post first reported that “a slew of community groups from across the state” sent a letter to Polis requesting a moratorium of nine months.

“In a parallel move, the organization behind the unsuccessful effort last fall to increase setbacks for new oil and gas operations will send its own request to Polis on Friday, asking that he slap an indefinite moratorium on new drilling in Colorado while a comprehensive study is conducting to gauge the health impacts of drilling and fracking,” the Post report also noted.

In 2014, while serving as a U.S. representative for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, Polis bankrolled two restrictive oil and gas ballot measures for the statewide ballot that were eventually pulled off the table in a compromise.

As for the 2018 ballot measure, Polis said he opposed it during the campaign, but he has also been open in the past to increasing the current setback distances.