OREANDA-NEWS. March 23, 2016. The Colorado Petroleum Council issued the following statement from Executive Director Tracee Bentley in addition to testimony opposing House Bill 1355 that would effectively bypass scientific expertise and remove oversight by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). The bill conflicts with Colorado’s safe, efficient development of natural resources and could jeopardize further job creation while increasing costs for local governments.

“This is a bad bill for Colorado that could damage the state’s recovering economy and consumers who rely on abundant and affordable energy. This extreme proposal could raise energy costs, destroy high-paying Colorado jobs and does not represent the majority of Coloradans who support oil and natural gas development.

“For decades, oil and natural gas operators and the Colorado public have relied on the technical expertise and resources of the COGCC with respect to geology, hydrology, and human health and the environment. The COGCC oversees participation and input from all stakeholders with expertise and interest in Colorado’s oil and natural gas resources.

“Operators have relied on statewide consistency of the COGCC’s rules.  In addition to weakening scientific and safety expertise, this bill would force companies to contend with a patchwork of 64 different sets of county and countless municipal siting rules, which in turn could further shrink local energy development while driving jobs and investment out of Colorado.”

The Colorado Petroleum Council is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 650 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry also supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy.