Colorado Republican stands up for oil and gas regulations

9 thoughts on “Colorado Republican stands up for oil and gas regulations”

1. I can only hope that Al White follows suit and does the right thing.

   Log in to Reply

   1. Roberts deserves the recognition and praise.

      Al White has the brains and moxie to follow suit; we’ll see what he does.

      Log in to Reply

2. Appreciate the acknowledgement that all R’s aren’t evil.

   Did you have to self medicate before hitting ‘post’?

   I kid.  I kid…

   Log in to Reply

3. Representative Roberts was also the sponsor, as I recall, of HB1252 that passed in 2007 along with HB1341 and HB1298, the two bills that spawned the rulemaking effort. HB1252 deals with surface owners rights and, while it did not receive the press that the “rules bills” have generated, it was a significant step.

   Representative Roberts deserves our thanks and appreciation for standing up to a very strict caucus and doing the right thing for her constituents. This is the time for Sen. White to become the leader he will need to be if he is going to help rescue the Republican party from its’ hijackers.

   Representative Roberts, thank you.

   Log in to Reply

4.  Or do I have it wrong that Democrat Wes Mckinley is running an ad on Cable against the rule change. I may be wrong, the commercial is so brief

   Log in to Reply

   1. I have not seen the ad, but Wes has ALWAYS been an industry toad.

      Log in to Reply

5. Bill authorizing new oil, gas rules moves forward

   A legislative committee this morning approved a bill authorizing new oil and gas rules in Colorado, clearing them for debate by the full state Senate.

   The Committee on Legal Services approved House Bill 1292 on a 7-3 vote after hearing witnesses debate the rules’ applicability to federal lands and the appropriateness of letting landowners appeal approval of permits issued for drilling on their property.

   …Three Republicans voted against the bill this morning. The measure also covers a wider range of state rules that go far beyond oil and gas operations.

   …The Committee on Legal Services is responsible for considering the legality of the oil and gas rules, which were adopted by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Industry representatives this morning challenged a provision allowing the surface owner to seek a hearing before the commission to appeal an approved permit, and also questioned whether the state’s new oil and gas rules can legally be applied on federal lands.

   David Neslin, acting director of the oil and gas commission, defended both aspects of the rules.

   The committee approved the rules without amending them this morning, but some lawmakers voiced discomfort with the provisions in question. State Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, said he hopes the surface owner appeal right can be removed.

   As for private (surface) property rights, I guess when they conflict with the oil and gas industry’s wishes, the GOP (and a Dem or two) don’t think surface owners should be able to appeal.  And how much oil and gas and split-estate is there in Colorado Springs?    

   Log in to Reply

   1. Sen. Morse is a senate co-sponsor of HB-1292. But suddenly he has cold feet about allowing a private property owner to request a hearing when he/she is about to lose the right to determine how his/her property is used?

      Oh, that’s right, these property owners hold mere surface “rights.”

      Any of you out there from Colorado Springs? Please contact Sen. Morse and let him know that helping out property owners to have some say in how their private property is used is a good thing.

      HB-1292 is calendared for 2nd Reading in the Senate on Monday the 23rd, so contact him soon.

      Log in to Reply

6. to thank Roberts (if you’re in her district; letter will send to your D reps if you live elsewhere), and the Gov, let them know we appreciate their leadership on this issue:

   http://ga6.org/campaign/hb1292…
   

   Log in to Reply