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Colorado developing as ideological battleground for future of oil, gas sector

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Colorado developing as ideological battleground for future of oil, gas sector

Energy-focused strategists in the western U.S. see Colorado as a critical ideological battleground for the future of oil and gas development, and their message at two recent conferences was the same: Oil and gas companies need to close the communication gap the communities where they want to operate or risk losing the social license to do so.

"I still think relationship-building with members of the mainstream environmental community — even if you disagree — [can be beneficial]," Ted Trimpa, CEO of Trimpa Group, said Aug. 27 at the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, or COGA, Energy Summit in Denver. Trimpa's organization focuses on what it describes as progressive public policy advocacy and political strategy.

Trimpa's comments come on the heels of similar remarks from COGA's own CEO at a Los Angeles event earlier this month. Dan Haley told the LDC Gas Rockies and West forum that environmental activists have increasingly dominated the conversation about oil and gas development in Colorado, changing the public dialogue about drilling.

One notable piece of that dialogue was 2018's Proposition 112, which would have required setbacks of 2,500 feet from most inhabited buildings and water sources for any future oil and gas production. While the measure did not ultimately pass — about 57.5% of Colorado voters voted against it — it kick-started a significant industry response. Colorado Secretary of State data shows approximately $50 million was spent to help defeat Proposition 112.

Despite its defeat, the proposition helped surface an undercurrent of opposition to industry. Multiple communities in Colorado have enacted a fracking or drilling moratorium and several Democratic members of the state congress supported the proposition, Katelyn Roberts, strategist and operations specialist with EIS Solutions, noted at the COGA event. Roberts oversaw the campaign to oppose Proposition 112 last November. She has also run successful campaigns for several Republican candidates, including last year's gubernatorial race in Iowa.

The state did also pass Senate Bill 181, a recently enacted law giving local government new authority over the drilling permit process.

Trimpa contended that the opposition to oil and gas in Colorado is led by a fringe few, and operators can turn the tide by reaching out to mainstream environmental organizations.

"The more we can try to split that enthusiasm with the mainstream environmental community the better off we can be," he said.

He also argued Colorado is not a blue state despite the blue wave, which swept across the polls during the last election, where Democrats won a majority in the state House and Senate as well as the governor and secretary of state positions.

In fact, Democratic voters do not hold the majority. The latest numbers on registered voters from the Colorado Secretary of State show approximately 1 million registered Democrats and Republicans, with Democrats holding a slight edge. However, unaffiliated votes total about 1.3 million.

The COGA panelists emphasized that the oil and gas sector would benefit from more moderate candidates making their way into leadership positions, with Roberts specifically highlighting the success of candidates with "moderate stances [who are] able to work across the aisle."