Each Douglas column has a campaign section for Mitt Romney. And each time it is unfounded baloney with no basis in reality.
"Do you believe President Barack Obama’s military strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan has been based on protecting the national security of the U.S. or protecting his own political skin? If you answered national security, you’re either a naïf or blinded by partisanship."
The Pilot is sponsoring partisan attacks in an election year. Selling the wedges that divide us? Wonderful job.
John, The County Commissioners do not get to regulate O&G as they choose. The State of Colorado, and the gas lobby COGA, warns a growing list of cities and counties that they have no right to exceed the very low industry standards the State sets throughout its Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Routt is one of those counties that has been warned against stronger regulations. One example:
If what you post about local control were true, we would could relax and simply put better regs in place. Since it is not, we have to do what we can that doesn't get us sued. Any well can be sold to another Lone Pine, who sets this example not 30 miles from here:
Shell is willing to accept conditions of approval in Routt that go beyond the COGCC standards. Credit to them. Unfortunately Quicksilver is far less amenable to our goals.
Yes this is an important industry and we benefit from it. But it is also a powerful industry that is allowed excessive levels of pollution. Lone Pine is the standard? That is the question we face.
I welcome correction of any comment you find ill informed.
We looked at 2 studies a decade ago from Austin TX and from Maine's coastal communities. Both put similar numbers to what recirculates from your dollar spent at a locally owned store vs. at a chain store. 44 cents of that dollar recirculates from a locally owned store vs. 14 cents recirculating from a chain store. Because Linda uses local accountants, graphic designers and bankers.
It does look like Shell is willing to drill on Routt County's terms. Quicksilver is resisting those terms and keeps mentioning attorneys. It is a big difference, and is appreciated.
Fracking has seen exponential growth. Even 10 years ago saw nothing compared to today. These latter years with the vast bulk of it are unfortunately occurring with exemptions that cloud its safety. Hidden formulas, exemptions from some very important regulations obscure the information. If these exemptions did not exist, I would agree the track record is meaningful. But with the exemptions we are left with every platform neighbor fending for themselves when they feel they have been adversely affected. Civil courts do not produce industry indictments. They produce settlements and gag orders. This is the bed the industry made for itself. The suspicions of their performance are their own doing.
Regardless of the Pavillion findings, there is little or no connection of "fracking fluids" to groundwater contamination. There is, however, real evidence of other groundwater or aquifer contaminations from the drilling and production cycles taken as a whole. Weld County, Garfield County, and Jackson County have such evidence. It is a mistake to speak about a long history and then only care about fracking fluid contamination. The hundreds of other contaminations are well documented.
Fracking today in Routt looks to be propane fracking. It seems very new. Certainly its ratio of toxin content will be way higher than water fracks. What history do we have for what Routt is about to see?
Megan, I agree with your points. We should see the terms by which Shell delivers its product in the U.S., and in this case those effects on the environment in Nigeria.
Don't expect too much from a blog. The redeeming element here is the reader can easily observe value given. Still, it is read by few. Explained perhaps by the attraction the above posting.
Your letter in print is 100x more effective. Thanks for a well written and well timed letter.
The airline program is fundamental to Steamboat's near term economic prospects. But everyone knows the costs to maintain the program's historic passenger load is trending beyond our reach. Otherwise known as "pain at the pump". Meanwhile the program's managers insist on buying increasing passenger loads.
Just one year ago, the program ran out of money. Steamboat gave them 50% more funding with a sales tax. They promptly followed the previous strategy to what looks a lot like the previous result. One year the recession was hitting, the next was low snowfall, and next year it will be Europe, snowfall, fuel prices, J.P. Morgan, or something else that falls in a pro-forma's usual category of "contingency".
Steamboat's citizens are now a 1/3 investor amidst partners who are prone to oversized speculation. A corporation and lodging managers can and often will focus on the near term only. A municipality cannot. Is our city planning a serious future of stable passenger loads into Routt County, or are we simply awaiting the next epiphany from our airline partners that we are at the brink of another cliff?
Jack, Good points. Perhaps you can link to the market info you mention.
Even though they match what was presented at the forum, I doubt the fracking formula percentages you used are anything like what is used to frack in Routt.
John Lamb's percentages given at the forum were from a recent water frack job in the Bakken formation, in or around North Dakota. Here they are using propane and butane fracks, so the percentage of toxins in the local fracking formula would be much higher than 2%. On the flip side, Shell says they can recoup/recycle 95% of the propane brew. I would like to see more evidence on what is being done here. With propane/butane fracking a new and unstudied process, it seems we are living an experiment.
Fred, I can think of 3 polls I've referred to on Oil and Gas. Usually a response to someone else's posted poll. One was yours. If a poll supports your view, use it. However I do suggest it be based on polling done with a correct sampling of respondents. We both know this would not be such a poll. But make your case anyway.
Scott, I did decide to take my advertising there. It is not Paulie's responsibility to balance the Pilot. The fundamental issue is the Pilot - paying for and printing a half baked, partisan view of our politics. It's Pilot bait for bloggers and election advertising.
Half baked columns are the best bait. They scream for rebuttal. Rob is numb to the growing income inequality in America, and the notion that corporate profits are up. He continues to bemoan our deficit without a word about raising taxes. Economists know we cannot solve this deficit with cuts alone. Tax increases on the wealthiest will not be enough either.
As you go down the income scale, more of personal income goes back into the economy. Put this deficit on the backs of the poorest as Rob prefers and consumptive demand, the real economic issue, will only drop further.
Job growth is anemic largely because productivity is way up. The U.S. is now producing what it used to produce with 5 million fewer workers. It is partisan folly to pretend that the bottom line problem is welfare payments.
I agree with Eric, this is FoxNewsWest servicing Republican talking points against Democrats in the coming election. The business plan is working; I just took the bait to help them sell the above advertising.
Tom, Sorry. The National Cancer of Entitlements column got under my skin.
No one is in lockstep, really. My writing in this blog allows equal space for anyone to disagree with me. It’s a balanced discussion.
And we deserve balance at the Pilot newsstand. It would be easy to tolerate Rob's column in print, if we also have a progressive column in print to correct Rob's facts and rebut his view. The problem arises having only one side in print, unchecked.
Unless things have changed, that other side won’t be me. I discussed the possibility with the Pilot during Rob's first run years ago. For some reason the Pilot barred writing any counterpoint to Rob's column. I tried a few drafts writing “unopposed” opinion for print. But I knew the counterarguments, and I found myself writing both sides.
That is what the Pilot should do. An honest discussion of our deficit would allow a point-by-point rebuttal of Rob’s column. It would make his writing accountable in advance to the most obvious counterpoints. When he bothers to acknowledge obvious counterpoints to his views, I’ll look forward to Rob’s columns.
Brent Boyer: Look at who's back
Each Douglas column has a campaign section for Mitt Romney. And each time it is unfounded baloney with no basis in reality.
"Do you believe President Barack Obama’s military strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan has been based on protecting the national security of the U.S. or protecting his own political skin? If you answered national security, you’re either a naïf or blinded by partisanship."
The Pilot is sponsoring partisan attacks in an election year. Selling the wedges that divide us? Wonderful job.
May 25, 2012 at 12:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Shell Oil makes its pitch at Steamboat open house
John,
The County Commissioners do not get to regulate O&G as they choose. The State of Colorado, and the gas lobby COGA, warns a growing list of cities and counties that they have no right to exceed the very low industry standards the State sets throughout its Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Routt is one of those counties that has been warned against stronger regulations. One example:
http://www.denverpost.com/energy/ci_2...
If what you post about local control were true, we would could relax and simply put better regs in place. Since it is not, we have to do what we can that doesn't get us sued. Any well can be sold to another Lone Pine, who sets this example not 30 miles from here:
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/08...
Shell is willing to accept conditions of approval in Routt that go beyond the COGCC standards. Credit to them. Unfortunately Quicksilver is far less amenable to our goals.
Yes this is an important industry and we benefit from it. But it is also a powerful industry that is allowed excessive levels of pollution. Lone Pine is the standard? That is the question we face.
I welcome correction of any comment you find ill informed.
May 25, 2012 at 11:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Grocery enters planning process in Steamboat
We looked at 2 studies a decade ago from Austin TX and from Maine's coastal communities. Both put similar numbers to what recirculates from your dollar spent at a locally owned store vs. at a chain store. 44 cents of that dollar recirculates from a locally owned store vs. 14 cents recirculating from a chain store. Because Linda uses local accountants, graphic designers and bankers.
The numbers have probably changed some.
May 24, 2012 at 1:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Shell Oil makes its pitch at Steamboat open house
It does look like Shell is willing to drill on Routt County's terms. Quicksilver is resisting those terms and keeps mentioning attorneys. It is a big difference, and is appreciated.
Fracking has seen exponential growth. Even 10 years ago saw nothing compared to today. These latter years with the vast bulk of it are unfortunately occurring with exemptions that cloud its safety. Hidden formulas, exemptions from some very important regulations obscure the information. If these exemptions did not exist, I would agree the track record is meaningful. But with the exemptions we are left with every platform neighbor fending for themselves when they feel they have been adversely affected. Civil courts do not produce industry indictments. They produce settlements and gag orders. This is the bed the industry made for itself. The suspicions of their performance are their own doing.
Regardless of the Pavillion findings, there is little or no connection of "fracking fluids" to groundwater contamination. There is, however, real evidence of other groundwater or aquifer contaminations from the drilling and production cycles taken as a whole. Weld County, Garfield County, and Jackson County have such evidence. It is a mistake to speak about a long history and then only care about fracking fluid contamination. The hundreds of other contaminations are well documented.
Fracking today in Routt looks to be propane fracking. It seems very new. Certainly its ratio of toxin content will be way higher than water fracks. What history do we have for what Routt is about to see?
May 24, 2012 at 1:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Megan Walker: Hold Shell accountable
Megan,
I agree with your points. We should see the terms by which Shell delivers its product in the U.S., and in this case those effects on the environment in Nigeria.
Don't expect too much from a blog. The redeeming element here is the reader can easily observe value given. Still, it is read by few. Explained perhaps by the attraction the above posting.
Your letter in print is 100x more effective. Thanks for a well written and well timed letter.
May 24, 2012 at 10:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Costs soar for Steamboat's ski season flight program
Scott,
You are right. This is not sustainable.
The airline program is fundamental to Steamboat's near term economic prospects. But everyone knows the costs to maintain the program's historic passenger load is trending beyond our reach. Otherwise known as "pain at the pump". Meanwhile the program's managers insist on buying increasing passenger loads.
Just one year ago, the program ran out of money. Steamboat gave them 50% more funding with a sales tax. They promptly followed the previous strategy to what looks a lot like the previous result. One year the recession was hitting, the next was low snowfall, and next year it will be Europe, snowfall, fuel prices, J.P. Morgan, or something else that falls in a pro-forma's usual category of "contingency".
Steamboat's citizens are now a 1/3 investor amidst partners who are prone to oversized speculation. A corporation and lodging managers can and often will focus on the near term only. A municipality cannot. Is our city planning a serious future of stable passenger loads into Routt County, or are we simply awaiting the next epiphany from our airline partners that we are at the brink of another cliff?
May 24, 2012 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jack Gutschenritter: Fracking truth
Jack,
Good points. Perhaps you can link to the market info you mention.
Even though they match what was presented at the forum, I doubt the fracking formula percentages you used are anything like what is used to frack in Routt.
John Lamb's percentages given at the forum were from a recent water frack job in the Bakken formation, in or around North Dakota. Here they are using propane and butane fracks, so the percentage of toxins in the local fracking formula would be much higher than 2%. On the flip side, Shell says they can recoup/recycle 95% of the propane brew. I would like to see more evidence on what is being done here. With propane/butane fracking a new and unstudied process, it seems we are living an experiment.
May 17, 2012 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Do you think energy-related severance taxes should be withheld from counties that place restrictions or moratoriums on oil and gas production?
Fred,
I can think of 3 polls I've referred to on Oil and Gas. Usually a response to someone else's posted poll. One was yours. If a poll supports your view, use it. However I do suggest it be based on polling done with a correct sampling of respondents. We both know this would not be such a poll. But make your case anyway.
May 11, 2012 at 1:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Brent Boyer: Look at who's back
Scott,
I did decide to take my advertising there. It is not Paulie's responsibility to balance the Pilot. The fundamental issue is the Pilot - paying for and printing a half baked, partisan view of our politics. It's Pilot bait for bloggers and election advertising.
Half baked columns are the best bait. They scream for rebuttal. Rob is numb to the growing income inequality in America, and the notion that corporate profits are up. He continues to bemoan our deficit without a word about raising taxes. Economists know we cannot solve this deficit with cuts alone. Tax increases on the wealthiest will not be enough either.
As you go down the income scale, more of personal income goes back into the economy. Put this deficit on the backs of the poorest as Rob prefers and consumptive demand, the real economic issue, will only drop further.
Job growth is anemic largely because productivity is way up. The U.S. is now producing what it used to produce with 5 million fewer workers. It is partisan folly to pretend that the bottom line problem is welfare payments.
I agree with Eric, this is FoxNewsWest servicing Republican talking points against Democrats in the coming election. The business plan is working; I just took the bait to help them sell the above advertising.
May 11, 2012 at 11:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Brent Boyer: Look at who's back
Tom,
Sorry. The National Cancer of Entitlements column got under my skin.
No one is in lockstep, really. My writing in this blog allows equal space for anyone to disagree with me. It’s a balanced discussion.
And we deserve balance at the Pilot newsstand. It would be easy to tolerate Rob's column in print, if we also have a progressive column in print to correct Rob's facts and rebut his view. The problem arises having only one side in print, unchecked.
Unless things have changed, that other side won’t be me. I discussed the possibility with the Pilot during Rob's first run years ago. For some reason the Pilot barred writing any counterpoint to Rob's column. I tried a few drafts writing “unopposed” opinion for print. But I knew the counterarguments, and I found myself writing both sides.
That is what the Pilot should do. An honest discussion of our deficit would allow a point-by-point rebuttal of Rob’s column. It would make his writing accountable in advance to the most obvious counterpoints. When he bothers to acknowledge obvious counterpoints to his views, I’ll look forward to Rob’s columns.
May 10, 2012 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )