Gov. John Hickenlooper said "he did not have enough support to pass a compromise law" that would give localities more control over hydraulic fracturing," Jack Healy reports for The New York Times. "The announcement left energy developers and environmental groups girding for battle over two measures proposed for the November ballot that would outlaw drilling within 2,000 feet of homes and schools and give communities more power to restrict drilling with environmental laws." The proposals, which need 86,105 signatures to be put on the ballot, currently have about 42,000 signatures.
"These would be some of the first statewide votes on whether to rein in oil and gas drilling, and the results could ripple through other states trying to balance energy development against concerns about air and water quality," Healy notes. Some Democrats, including Hickenlooper, have feared that fracking bans could hurt them in their election, or re-election, bids. Hickenlooper said he would oppose the measures, Jaffe reports.
"For
weeks, Hickenlooper and other leading Democrats have tried to
broker a deal supported by energy companies, business groups and [U.S.] Rep. Jared Polis, a wealthy Democrat from Boulder who is a
leading backer in the campaign to put drilling restrictions on the
ballot," Healy writes. "If Hickenlooper had been able to get a deal through the
legislature, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats, Polis would
have withdrawn his support for the ballot measures."
"A
compromise to allow towns to pass stricter health and safety rules
related to drilling won support from Polis, two major oil and gas
companies and an assortment of environmental and business groups," Healy writes. "But
that was not enough to convince Republicans in the state legislature or a
handful of reluctant Democrats. On Wednesday, Polis said the deal
had been thwarted by 'personal attacks and scare tactics.'” (Read more)
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