March 06, 2013 08:30 AM UTC

Attention Gov. Frackenlooper: The Charm Offensive Has Failed

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• by: Colorado Pols

The Fort Collins Coloradoan reports on yesterday's dramatic hearings in the Fort Collins City Council–and their vote last night, 5-2, to ban hydraulic fracture drilling ("fracking") withing their city limits. This vote puts Northern Colorado's biggest city squarely in opposition to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who, although nominally a Democrat, has emerged as the head cheerleader–and now chief enforcer–for the oil and gas industry.

With a large crowd looking on, council members voted 5-2 on Tuesday to give final approval to an ordinance that prohibits hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the city…

Mayor pro tem Kelly Ohlson said state regulators have no credibility with him, nor does Gov. John Hickenlooper, who said last week the state would sue the city if it passed a ban.

“I believe the governor should spend his time protecting the health and safety and welfare of citizens of Colorado rather than acting like the chief lobbyist for the oil and gas industry,” he said. “In fact, I think he should literally quit drinking the fracking Kool-Aid.” [Pols emphasis]

Understand what is happening here. Arguably the most popular governor in many decades in Colorado, Hickenlooper's biggest investment of political capital since effortlessly winning election 2010 has been on behalf of the oil and gas industry. The same folksy charm that gave Hickenlooper such a broad public appeal as Denver mayor, and again during the gubernatorial campaign, has been used to soften growing opposition–generally on the progressive left but rapidly growing beyond the activist class–to the drilling method known as "fracking" near residential communities and watersheds.

What we're seeing now, in Colorado cities rejecting the regulation of the industry as conducted by Hickenlooper's administration, is without a doubt the greatest failure of Hickenlooper's public career so far. And it can't be blamed on anyone other than Hickenlooper, who wrecked his credibility on the issue after repeatedly and knowingly deceiving the public in asserting that "fracking" is safe.

What concerns opponents of "fracking" most are rules governing the distance from existing development for drilling operations, and weak water testing standards they say are riddled with loopholes. But it is Hickenlooper's claims to have "drank fracking fluid," without disclosing that he had in fact drunk fluid that is not used commercially–and that in truth, no one should drink the fluid actually being used today in drilling operations–that have opened the biggest breach in his credibility (see Fort Collins Mayor pro tem Kelly Ohlson's comment above).

Hickenlooper was elected in 2010 with support from the oil and gas industry precisely because of his broad popularity, and the hope that he could translate that appeal into the mollification of conservationist opponents of unfettered resource extraction. The previous administration of Bill Ritter was much tougher on the industry, both rhetorically and in rulemaking practice, and one can easily understand the hope at the Colorado Oil and Gas Association that Hickenlooper could make the lion lay down with the proverbial lamb.

Instead, he has insulted the intelligence of those he was supposed to win over. Battle lines are hardening now, and Democratic Gov. Hickenlooper cannot claim to be on the side of the people of Colorado. He is on the side of mineral rights holders regardless of where they are. And there are, as you should know, not very many mineral rights holders registered to vote in Colorado compared to the citizens Hickenlooper has now come out against.

Make no mistake. This is how politicians' careers founder.