Colorado's oil and gas wars resume with new ballot measures
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The two-year ceasefire between the oil and gas industry and environmentalists appears to be coming to an end as the two sides return to the ballot battlefield.
Why it matters: In a fragile 2024 truce, negotiated by Gov. Jared Polis, industry supporters and environmental groups vowed not to introduce additional competing ballot measures designed to boost or regulate oil and gas operations.
- If the deal is broken, an expensive and high-stakes showdown could hurt Colorado's oil and gas industry or jeopardize the state's pollution-reduction goals.
State of play: The conservative political group Advance Colorado wants to amend the constitution to secure the right for producers to sell and customers to use natural gas for cooking or heating.
- The measure, marked as Initiative 177, needs voters to sign petitions in each of the state's congressional districts and win 55% at the ballot.
- It comes in response to efforts by the Polis administration to phase out natural gas heating and replace it with electric appliances, to reduce carbon pollution.
The other side: Conservation Colorado, the state's leading environmental organization, called the measure a "cynical attempt … to lock into the state constitution the ability of the fossil fuel industry to sue to stop renewable energy policies."
The intrigue: To counter the conservative ballot question, the organization filed four preliminary measures targeting the energy industry.
- The proposals would hold the industry liable for environmental damages and prohibit passing costs to customers for natural gas infrastructure.
What they're saying: Through a spokesperson, Polis blamed Advance Colorado for undermining the agreement not to pursue competing ballot measures.
- "This important progress should not be derailed by opportunistic political operatives, who clearly are not looking out for all Coloradans' interests," spokesperson Eric Maruyama told us.
Yes, but: Michael Fields, Advance Colorado's president, rejected the idea that a deal existed with his group. He said the organization's ballot measure is meant to lower energy costs.
The bottom line: Once again, the pressure is on Polis to strike a deal. Otherwise, the oil and gas wars will return with a vengeance.