August 24, 2006 01:44 AM UTC

Beauprez Goes Green

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• by: Colorado Pols

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez is going green. Today his campaign announced “The Colorado Habitat Initiative,” which a press release says “is Bob Beauprez’s action plan to provide off-site wildlife habitat mitigation, acre-for-acre, by creating a public- private fund seeded with state severance tax dollars.”

Click below for the full release…

Gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez today announced a major initiative to protect wildlife habitat in energy impacted areas of Colorado, specifically on the Western Slope.

“I believe we must take immediate and meaningful steps to protect Colorado’s wildlife and the habitat that sustains it,” said Beauprez. “This morning, I am announcing the Colorado Habitat Initiative, which is my plan to ensure our magnificent wildlife herds still have a place to flourish and thrive, and our sportsmen can pass on Colorado’s hunting heritage to the next generation.”

The Colorado Habitat Initiative is Bob Beauprez’s action plan to provide off-site wildlife habitat mitigation, acre-for-acre, by creating a public- private fund seeded with state severance tax dollars.

“While the state can, and under my administration will, dedicate severance taxes for wildlife habitat, we must also ask our friends in the energy industry to join us in this effort,” continued Beauprez. “As Governor, I will challenge the energy industry to partner with the State of Colorado-and four years from now, I believe we can be making a meaningful difference for energy-impacted wildlife habitat to the tune of perhaps tens of millions of dollars.”

In the past decade the number of drilling permits issued by the state has risen sharply in Northwest Colorado, causing concern about the habitat available for the country’s largest elk and mule deer herds. The Colorado Habitat Initiative will help provide balance between energy development and the needs of wildlife.

Beauprez was joined in his announcement by local sportsmen including Rep. Josh Penry, who is running for State Senate in District 7.

“I believe my action plan to protect energy-impacted wildlife habitat is one based on common-sense,” said Beauprez. “It is practical, it is meaningful, and it is the right thing to do.”