February 20, 2016 09:33 AM UTC

COGA Disappointed: Adams County Citizens Don't Need Facts

• 2 Comments
• by: PKolbenschlag

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Hoo Boy. Dan Haley, former Denver Post editorial page editor spun through the oil and gas lobbyist revolving door into president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, is “disappointed” that a conservation group is making oil and gas issues “political and partisan.”

Sorry if you spit out your coffee. Take a minute to clean up your keyboard and then follow me.

The source of Mr. Haley’s disappointment is data. Yes, accurate information portrayed on a map. Presenting information it seems is problematic as this Denver Post headline reflects:

Oil and gas leases, mineral rights cover 64 percent of Adams County

Oh noes. Information that is easy-to-use! Red Alert! DEFCON1:  Send in the Strategic Communications Operatives. STAT!

Randy Hildreth, an oil and gas advocate with Energy-in-Depth a project of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, answers the call to arms, blasting such accessible portrayal of fact as fear-mongering.

Conservation Colorado’s effort to frighten Adams County residents is little more than a scare campaign that ignores the extensive considerations that go into permitting the location of an oil and gas well…

No, the map doesn’t show the ‘extensive consideration’ as that might be hard to depict on such a publicly useful  tool.

This is what it does depict, according to an article in the Colorado Independent:

The website, called “Coming Soon Adams County,” includes closeup maps of Brighton, Hunters Glen, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster in addition to a countywide overview.

In vivid pinks and reds, the maps show existing wells, permits, mineral rights and recently filed oil and gas leases.

The Conservation Colorado map shows existing oil and gas leases, and mineral rights, the very property that groups like Mr. Hildreth’s assert gives them unfettered right to drill adjacent to homes, farms, schools, and other community infrastructure.

As does the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, its disappointment notwithstanding. On behalf of Mr. Haley’s organization, Denver white shoe attorney Wayne Forman recently testified that any new regulation could be a “taking” of property:

According to Forman’s analysis, Colorado law would require just compensation in the event of regulations, setbacks, or bans that either prevent or substantially hamper access to mineral interests.

Here is the deal. Drilling happens on leases and where oil and gas companies control mineral rights. Thus leases determine where drilling might reasonably be expected to occur, if not directly atop a mineral right then perhaps directionally from a bit further off.

Will all leases be drilled? No. Are leases in proximity to existing development, in known producing areas, with massive amounts of infrastructure already in place more likely to be drilled than others that don’t share those qualities? Absolutely. And Mr. Haley knows this.

The Conservation Colorado map presents information, accurately, of interest to Adams County residents. Fact. Data. Public Interest. No wonder the oil and gas boys are bothered.

Is the accurate portrayal of facts and data in the clear public interest a scare tactic? Seems a stretch.

But there is certainly some fear-mongering going on: Collapsing economies (as if relying on boom economics that inevitably bust is beneficial, but that is a separate topic I covered already). Starving retirees. Freezing in the Dark. Putin ascendant.

And Randy Hildreth, again, wants you to know that the good people of Adams County who could benefit from an “easy-to-use” tool presenting information are really just pawns of Mark Ruffalo and New York City liberals.

While Colorado is obviously not New York, we should be wary of national activist organizations bringing their extreme positions into our state.

Here is another Energy-in-Depth take on those easily duped Coloradans that cannot even be trusted to look at a map without some hand-holding by the oil and gas industry. Of those who may be concerned about the possibility of potentially toxic, highly disruptive, noisy and industrial operations setting up in their neighborhood, what would cause them such concern?

…far-left green groups, clueless celebrity activists and ultrarich environmental donors who want to effectively wipe out domestic oil and gas production across Colorado and the rest of the nation,” said Simon Lomax, Denver-based spokesman for the industry-backed advocacy group Energy in Depth.

Scared yet?

And what about the basic charge: That somehow portraying accurate data of certain public interest is misleading? Well, that is some pretty audacious stone tossing from glass houses.

Here is something that may not surprise anyone, but the oil and gas lobby is known to play a bit loose with facts from time to time.

And to fear-monger. And to view information in the public interest as dangerous.

And that is pretty much all anyone should need to know about this bit of industrial-scale spinning.