Public meeting on energy rules tonight
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
If you go
What: Colorado Environmental Coalition public information meeting on proposed energy industry regulations
When: 7 p.m. tonight
Where: Center of Craig
• Another meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Kilowatt Corner in Meeker
History is being written.
What happens with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's rulemaking process this year could affect Colorado for generations, Luke Schafer said.
Schafer's organization, the Colorado Environmental Coalition, plans to host a free public information meeting on the state's new draft rules for oil and gas drilling at 7 p.m. tonight at the Center of Craig.
The state expects "an unprecedented boom in natural gas and oil development," Schafer said.
"We're going to see more and more impacts on our community, positive and negative."
The Environmental Coalition also had a similar public meeting Monday night in Steamboat Springs and a third is planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kilowatt Corner in Meeker.
Last year, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bills 1298 and 1341 requiring the Oil and Gas Commission to revise the state's natural resource regulations to better protect public health and wildlife.
The energy industry is a large part of Colorado's present and future, Schafer said, but so are the state's other traditional resources - wildlife and the attractive outdoors that bring thousands of tourists in every year.
Residents can use the ongoing rulemaking process to help state officials shape Colorado in an image residents want to envision, one way or the other, Schafer said.
"It's a great opportunity to be a part of our future on the Western Slope," he said. "I think this is a great opportunity to provide for our future here in a real way."
Schafer and Sasha Nelson, also with the Environmental Coalition, plan to give a short presentation before opening the floor to discussion.
Schafer said the presentation will cover major points found in the Oil and Gas Commission's draft rules released in March, focusing on wildlife and public health provisions.
Schafer said no one attending a public meeting this week should be concerned about environmental indoctrination.
"The one thing we strive to do is provide information," he said. "We're not here to preach from the pulpit."
The Oil and Gas Commission plans to hold a one-day hearing on the Western Slope for public comments regarding its draft rules at 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 10 in Grand Junction at the Two Rivers Convention Center, 159 Main St.
The Environmental Coalition expects to offer some sort of transportation program for residents who would like to go, Schafer said. For more information, call the Environmental Coalition office at 824-5241.
Residents may also submit written comments online at http://oil-gas.state.co.us/RuleMaking/DraftComments/Comment.cfm.
Schafer said he would like to see as many people become involved as have the opportunity.
"Hopefully, we'll see people in this area provide input," he said, "because often times, we in Moffat County and on the Western Slope don't get heard as much as we should."
Comments
SilverSpoon 4 years, 11 months ago
Have you heard the new radio ad? www.ourenergy.coop Here comes the confusion creating propoganda. Points to be confused on: 1. Is climate change worth trying to solve? 2. How much will renewable energy raise your rates?(wind and solar are a resource that can be extracted for free, coal and oil require continual work to extract the fossil fuel.) 3. Why is our coop so reluctant to adopt clean energy?
id04sp 4 years, 11 months ago
All those "clean" ideas are good. In the meantime, we still need energy, and this is a way to get it and take the burden off of POOR PEOPLE who are barely getting by now.
Not only will it help keep energy prices down while green methods are developed, it will help provide jobs for Coloradans that might give the locals a place to make a decent living and buy a home.
SilverSpoon 4 years, 11 months ago
Just because it is profitable to extract hard to reach oil, at $135/brl, doesn't mean fuel prices will go down. The cost gets passed down to all the POOR PEOPLE who are forced to pay $5.00/gallon.
nikobesti 4 years, 11 months ago
I like the strategy by Schafer and Colorado Environmental Coalition on this. Often both sides are too apt to fall into exaggeration, scare tactics and propaganda. That often succeeds in turning people away from your cause and can lose you a lot of credibility. It sounds like Schafer and company have figured this out. Kudos.
elk2 4 years, 11 months ago
Does anyone know how to research and find out who owns the mineral rights on a particular property? Is there a link on the county site? I notice in places like Rifle,New Castle, Silt etc. some folks have oil rigs in their yards.
SilverSpoon 4 years, 11 months ago
http://www.epa.gov/oust/pubs/OUST_FY07_Annual_Report-_Final_4-08.pdf
I hope that those resposible for mineral extraction are held accountable for the cleanup.
grannyrett 4 years, 11 months ago
elk2-I know when my folks had a ranch in Moffat County they had to pay taxes on their mineral rights. So, I would assume the assessor's office would have that information.
nikobesti 4 years, 11 months ago
elk2: grannyrett is correct about the assessor's office. But good luck. It can be really tough to trace this stuff back. I know folks who make a lot of money doing this research for oil and gas companies.
id04sp 4 years, 11 months ago
Silver,
I was implying that giving poor people better jobs would help remove the burden of higher prices.
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