The Colorado oil and gas wars are back – if they ever left – sparked by state regulators’ plans unveiled Friday for a 2,000-foot buffer between drill sites and homes and schools. The regulation amounts to a ban on oil and gas development and a lawsuit might be in the offing, industry officials said. “It […]
energy industry
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Clean energy development can help our economy back onto its feet
COVID-19 has knocked Colorado’s thriving economy off track. The path to getting our economy back on a strong footing won’t be easy, but clean energy development has been a boon for our state, and the industry will be vital in spurring economic growth. In the near-term, Congress will undoubtedly return focus to economic stimulus legislation. Any […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Platte River Power Authority must commit to 100% renewable energy. Period.
The Colorado Sun published a story on Aug. 19 with the headline “Colorado must cut half of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. It will lean on oil and gas to do it.” The story discussed why we need emissions reductions from the oil and gas sector in order to meet Colorado’s goal of a […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Applauding the Great American Outdoors Act is no devil’s bargain. We’re all winners.
In Dana Egleston’s recent opinion piece “The Great American Outdoors Act drew bipartisan back-patting. But what are we celebrating?” published July 24, there were several misleading assertions made about the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) that deserve attention — especially now that the GAOA has been signed into law. Passed by a bipartisan vote in […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Our outdoor legacy is at risk and the Senate must act to protect our public land
Colorado may be best known for its winters, but summer’s sun-filled days are a great time of year to enjoy our scenic public parks and vast network of hiking and biking trails. For me, a military veteran, summer is a chance to reconnect with the outdoors. Our public lands and special places are one of […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Oil and gas bankruptcies are problematic for Colorado taxpayers
In the early morning hours of June 15, 2020, Extraction Oil and Gas, Inc. filed its long-awaited bankruptcy in federal district court. I say “long-awaited” because my organization has been litigating cases against Extraction since January 2019, and we have raised numerous concerns about the financial viability of the company in front of the Colorado […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Local energy production is the sustainable choice
The need for American energy security has never been stronger or clearer. Will we heed the call? Or will we bow to pressure from keep-it-in-the-ground activists and embolden our enemies? Recent news stories highlight the need not only for American energy security, but for domestic energy that is produced cleaner, better and safer than anywhere […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Here’s why our Colorado communities are demanding climate justice
Former state Rep. Ken Summers is urging Coloradans to “dance” with the oil and gas industry. But to date, fossil fuel companies have proved to be unreliable partners. The industry has spent millions of dollars over the past several decades on lobbying and deceptive advertising to spread its destructive agenda and to block meaningful action […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado’s clean energy workers are hurting in these coronavirus times
Colorado’s clean energy workforce is massive, diverse and at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019 was more than 62,000 people strong. That’s according to a just-released report from the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), which listed Denver and Boulder as home to about two-thirds of these jobs. We know Colorado’s clean […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: How to design markets for effective energy transition in Colorado
Colorado, like most parts of the world, is undergoing a significant transition in its energy system. Thanks to significant research and development efforts across the public and private sectors, the costs of using energy from wind, solar and natural gas are at record lows. Coal, which had long reined as an energy king prior to […]