vital for colo

<div>=</div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div>=</div><div>shawn martini frack prop 97 colo rising?
</div><div>
</div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">HBW Resources
Senior Communications Director  Senior Communications Director
HBW Resources LLC HBW Resources LLC
2012 - 2016 · 4 yrs</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Denver, CO Denver, CO
Shawn

successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients on

communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their

goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish

organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy

and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media

strategies.  Shawn successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients

on communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their

goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish

organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy

and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media

strategies.…see more</div></div><div></div><div>
</div><div><a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/signer-beware/">https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/signer-beware/</a>
</div><div>
</div><div><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 49px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.05; letter-spacing: -0.02em; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Signer beware</h1><p class="td-post-sub-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 13px 0px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; padding: 5px 0px 8px; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(241, 241, 241); border-top: 1px dashed rgb(241, 241, 241); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Pro-oil-and-gas-industry Initiative #138 has a familiar pedigree<div class="meta-info" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; opacity: 1; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div class="td-post-author-name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-right: 3px;"><div class="td-author-by" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">By</div> <a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/author/joeldyer/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit;">Joel Dyer</a><div class="td-author-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"> -</div></div> <time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2016-06-16T16:26:26+00:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">June 16, 2016</time></div></div><div>
</div><div><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">When

it comes to the ballot initiatives being put forward this election

cycle — at least the ones pertaining to oil and gas extraction — you

often hear them referred to with terms like “community rights” or “local

government authority.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">But

unlike in the past, those terms are being applied to a variety of

initiatives, including one that would actually prevent communities from

creating local ordinances to protect themselves from oil and gas

extraction in close proximity to their homes, schools and hospitals.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As

a result, signing a petition in 2016 has become a rather confusing

exercise wherein “signer beware” seems an appropriate warning. Not

surprisingly to many observers of the ongoing and heated battle over

fracking in Colorado, this confusion due to the blurring of such terms

doesn’t appear to be an accident.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Over

the past five years, the terms “community rights” and “local authority ”

have become closely tied to the various citizen-driven initiatives

written to allow local communities or even counties the right to ban or

delay fracking or otherwise regulate oil and gas extraction within their

jurisdictions. This explains why these terms so often find their way

into the official or popular titles of such citizen efforts. This year’s

initiatives with that same intent are no exception.<p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Initiative

#40 is most often referred to as “The Colorado Community Rights

Amendment” or the “Local Governance Amendment.” It has been put forward

as a project of Coloradans for Community Rights.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Proponents

of Initiative #40 claim the amendment addresses the conflicts that

exist between the fundamental rights of communities, people and the

environment, and the excessive legal authority that politicians have wrongly granted to corporations.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">They

further claim #40 would not only allow local communities to ban or

otherwise regulate oil and gas extraction, but also allow local

governments to control all industrial activity as well as other things,

such as allowing communities to set their own minimum wage limits.   <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Another

initiative designed to empower local authority to regulate oil and gas

extraction is also currently gathering signatures. Initiative #75,

titled “Local Government Authority to Regulate Oil and Gas Development,”

was put forward by Coloradans Resisting Extreme Energy Development (CREED).<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Proponents

of #75 say it would give local governments the ability to protect

citizens from the harmful industrial processes of oil and gas extraction

by allowing a community to ban them within city limits or otherwise

apply local regulations stricter than current state regulations.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">CREED is also gathering signatures for Initiative #78 titled “Mandatory Setbacks From Oil and Gas Development,” which,

if it makes the ballot and then passes, would force the oil and gas

industry to leave a 2,500-foot buffer or “setback” between oil and gas

drilling/production operations and homes, schools and hospitals. CREED

says the size of the buffer zone was determined based on health

studies. <p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In

the past, anyone supporting the effort to put an initiative on the

ballot giving citizens and local governments more control over the oil

and gas industry simply had to listen for the code words “community

rights” or “local control” coming out of the signature gatherer’s mouth

and then sign the petition. But times have changed and so have the oil

and gas industry’s strategies.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">There is another ballot measure making the rounds this year, Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The popular title for #138 is “Local Regulation of Oil and Gas Development.” I know, sounds familiar right?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As

you can see, #138’s informal title is shockingly similar to Initiative

#75’s title of “Local Government Authority to Regulate Oil and Gas

Development.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It

certainly seems bizarre and more than a little inappropriate for the

Secretary of State’s office, which oversees such matters, to have

allowed two initiatives collecting signatures at the exact same time to

be operating under virtually identical names.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This name debacle is a recipe for a range of signature-gathering disasters from mere confusion to outright deception.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So

just how similar are the two initiatives in what they are seeking to

accomplish? While the names may be virtually identical, they are, in

fact, opposites. <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Initiative #138 says the following:<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">“Shall

there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution stating that local

governments may enact and enforce local laws and regulations concerning

oil and gas development or operations so long as the laws and

regulations are no more restrictive than, and do not conflict with,

state laws or regulations?”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">At

first blush, it’s hard to understand the point of passing this

initiative. The Colorado Supreme Court pretty much just made this the

law of the land when it struck down both the fracking ban in Longmont

and Fort Collins’ moratorium. It is simply redundant to that ruling.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">And

obviously, despite its deceptive title, for all practical purposes, the

goal of #138 is to eliminate all rights of all local governments to

regulate oil and gas extraction in any way that is contrary to the

state’s oversight, which the industry largely controls due to its

outsized influence over our governor and state house. In short, pass

#138 and nothing changes.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So what’s the point?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Good question.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">According

to the Secretary of State’s office, the designated representatives of

Initiative #138 are Shawn Martini and Scott Prestidge. The lineage of these two “designated representatives” tells you all you need to know about Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Prestidge

is the energy industry director of the Denver Area Chamber of Commerce

where he works for political operative Kelly Brough. You may remember

Brough from Boulder Weekly’s

“Behind the curtain” investigation. She is the former Gov. Hickenlooper

staffer who is a member of Colorado Concern, the state’s most

influential organization when it comes to pushing for unfettered oil and

gas extraction.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">She

is, or was last year, also on the Advisory Committee for CRED, the

pro-oil-and-gas group funded by Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">CRED

pays for many of the pro-fracking commercials that inundate the

airwaves these days. CRED also paid for the pro-fracking “energy and

environment” section that previously ran in the Denver Post leading up to the 2012 elections in an effort to turn back the anti-fracking citizens initiatives that year.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Brough also sat on the board of Vital for Colorado, a

pro-oil-and-gas front group working to defeat citizen opposition to

unfettered oil and gas extraction in their communities, including

previous and current citizen initiatives such as #75, #78 and #40.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As you may recall from previous Boulder Weekly investigations,

Vital for Colorado has strong ties to Josh Penry and his EIS Solutions

consulting firm as well as to Penry’s wife Kristin Strohm who runs the

controversial Common Sense Policy Roundtable (CSPR), which works with

both Vital and the Koch Brothers. Strohm runs CSPR through her position at Starboard

Group, one of the nation’s leading fundraising organizations for

conservative causes and Republican political campaigns. DeSmogBlog and Greenpeace have referred to Penry and Strohm as the nation’s “power couple of fracking.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">For

a more complete explanation of how the oil and gas industry runs the

state of Colorado and why establishment Democrats and Republicans alike

are working behind the scenes to defeat citizen initiatives like #78,

#75 and #40, please read Boulder Weekly’s two previous investigations, “<a href="http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/who-killed-the-vote-on-fracking/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important;">Who killed the vote on fracking?</a>” from Sept. 17, 2015 and “<a href="http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/behind-the-curtain/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important;">Behind the curtain</a>” from Oct. 2, 2014.     <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This is the circle in which Prestidge operates.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">He

currently sits on the board of Vital for Colorado along with several

members of Colorado Concern, including its Executive Director Mike Kopp.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Chad

Vorthman, executive vice president of the Colorado Farm Bureau, is also

on the board of Vital for Colorado and the advisory Committee for CRED,

which brings us to Shawn Martini.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">A

few years back, Martini was director of communications at the Colorado

Farm Bureau. But he took a four-year hiatus to be the senior

communications director for an outfit called HBW Resources, LLC out of

Houston. At HBW, one of Martini’s tasks was to pen a fracking blog that

kept track of anti-fracking activism around the country for the benefit

of HBW’s oil industry clients. The blog rated states red, yellow or

green based on how much anti-fracking activity was occurring and how

much opposition there was to drilling tight shale formations via

fracking. Colorado was rated “red.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Martini

recently returned to Colorado and his old friend Chad Vorthman at the

Farm Bureau. Martini’s new title is vice president of advocacy and, of

course, designated representative of Initiative #138.<p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The

pedigree of Initiative #138 raises the question of whether or not it’s

just a coincidence that this oil-and-gas–industry friendly initiative

sells itself with a nearly identical name to the one already being used

by Initiative #75, a citizen effort that is attempting to accomplish the

exact opposite outcome as #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">And

does it seem a well thought out strategy for petition gatherers for

#138 to be, according to numerous citizen accounts, concentrating their

efforts in places like Boulder County and Denver? Places where support

for the oil and gas industry’s desire to restrict community rights so

fracking can be done in neighborhoods is at its absolute lowest?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Wouldn’t

it make more sense to gather signatures in places like Weld and

Garfield counties or Pueblo and Colorado Springs where some people might

be more receptive to signing away their communities’ rights for the

benefit of oil and gas industry profits in exchange for the industry’s

promise of permanent jobs, a promise we now know was only temporary?   <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">These

oil industry operatives’ choice of where to solicit signatures really

did seem odd until we started hearing from people who claim that after

signing a petition they thought would amend the constitution to allow

local fracking bans, they now fear they may have mistakenly signed

Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It’s the kind of mistake that should rarely if ever happen with proper oversight from the Secretary of State’s office.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">At

the end of the day, it’s the responsibility of each of us to read and

make sure we know what we are signing. If you believe you signed the

wrong petition, then by all means take the time to sign the right one.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The

stories floating around about $1,000 fines for signing more than one

“local regulation of oil and gas” petition are just more deception aimed

at Colorado citizens. If you feel like a petitioner has

intentionally deceived you, take their name and report them to the

Secretary of State’s office. There is always a very slim chance that

someone in that office might even write it down.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">But for now, I’m afraid signer beware is your best strategy.  
</div><div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/the-intimidation-of-democracy/">https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/the-intimidation-of-democracy/</a></div></div><div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://moneytrails.org/noble-energy/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">https://moneytrails.org/noble-energy/</a></div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="font-size: small;"><h3 style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Noble Energy Is A Multinational Oil Conglomerate</h3>Noble Energy Is A Publicly-Traded Oil Company Based In TexasNoble Energy Is A Houston, Texas-Based Multinational Oil Conglomerate With 1,929 Million Barrels In Proved Oil Reserves. “Noble Energy, Inc., an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids worldwide. The company owns, operates, develops, and acquires domestic midstream infrastructure assets in the DJ and Delaware Basins. Its principal assets are located in the US onshore unconventional basins and various global offshore conventional basins in the Eastern Mediterranean and off the west coast of Africa. As of December 31, 2018, the company had 1,929 million barrels oil equivalent of total proved reserves. Noble Energy, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.” [Yahoo Finance, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NBL/profile/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">accessed <span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">09/18/19</a>]Noble Energy’s Chairman And CEO Is David Stover, A Longtime Oil Executive Who Has Worked At BP, And ARCO Oil And Gas. “David (Dave) Stover brings nearly 40 years of oil and gas industry experience to his current role as chairman and chief executive officer of Noble Energy – a member of the S&P 500 and one of the nation’s leading independent energy companies. He was appointed chairman of the board in April 2015, CEO in October 2014 and elected to the board of directors in April 2014. Prior to his current role, he served as president and chief operating officer, along with other executive positions. Before joining Noble Energy in 2002, Dave served as BP’s vice president and business unit leader for the Gulf of Mexico Shelf from 2000 to 2002. From 1994 to 2000, he held various onshore and offshore management positions at Vastar Resources. Earlier in his career, he held a number of engineering, operations and management positions at ARCO Oil and Gas Company.” [Noble Energy, <a href="https://www.nblenergy.com/leadership/david-l-stover" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">accessed <span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">09/18/19</a>]<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; font-weight: bolder; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Noble Energy Is A Major Funder Of Anti-Public Lands Front Groups</h3>Noble Energy Funds Coloradans For Responsible Energy Development (CRED) And Protecting Colorado’s Environment, Economy, and Energy Independence (PCEEEI), Pro-Fracking Industry Front GroupsNoble Energy And Anadarko Were The Funders Of Coloradans For Responsible Energy, A Campaign To Beat Back Ballot Initiatives That Could Restrict Fracking.  “Noble officials also elaborated on a publicity campaign the company is waging in Colorado in partnership with Anadarko Petroleum Corp., based in The Woodlands. The campaign, called Coloradans for Responsible Energy, is trying to beat back potential ballot proposals in the state that could restrict the well completion process called hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing – injecting fluids and sand into a well under pressure to release oil and gas from tight formations – has contributed to a surge in U.S. production. Opponents say it may contaminate water and cause other environmental damage. ‘I think we’re prepared for a full communication effort,’ Davidson said. ‘It’s going to be a lengthy summer, and we’ll see. There’s a lot of political dynamics that are happening here, and it changes daily.’” [Houston Chronicle, 4/25/14]PCEEEI Is A Noble Energy-Funded Political Action Committee That Uses Millions Of Dollars Oil Companies To Fight Citizen-Led Initiatives To Regulate Colorado’s Oil Industry. PCEEEI Is A Political Action Committee That Fights Regulations On Colorado’s Oil And Gas Industry. Protecting Colorado’s Environment, Economy, And Energy Independence (PCEEEI) is a political committee whose purpose is “to support state and local ballot initiatives that promote a vibrant colorado economy and oppose those measures that seek to harm Colorado’s economy and way of life.” [Colorado Secretary of State, accessed <a href="http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?OrgID=26709" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">07/26/19</a>]PCEEEI, Also Called “Protecting Colorado” For Short, Was Established With Money From Anadarko Petroleum And Noble Energy. “…At least four other Front Range municipalities pushing anti-fracking ballot initiatives in 2013 and Polis arguing for a statewide initiative for further restrictions, top energy producers in the state crafted plans to fight back. [Denver Post, <a href="http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/DenverPost/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TDP%2F2017%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar00103&sk=4979516B&mode=text" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">07/16/17</a>] PCEEEI Was Formed To Protect Oil and Gas Industry Profits. “A good example is the oil and gas industry front group Protecting Colorado’s Environment, Economy, and Energy Independence (Protect Colorado), which was formed specifically to fight against any citizen initiative that could hinder oil and gas industry profits. Among its activities are pushing industry-spawned initiatives that make it harder for citizens to get measures on the ballot along with other political activity like directing campaign contributions to pro-oil candidates, even at the city council level. CRED’s own director of operations and coalitions, Mark Truax, has referred to Protect Colorado as, ‘kinda the political arm we work with.’ And it’s a very short arm.” [Boulder Weekly, <a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/sportsmen-beware/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">06/07/18</a>]Between 2012 And 2017, PCEEEI Spent $30 Million Fighting What It Calls An “Onslaught” Of Citizen-Led Fracking Regulations In Colorado. “Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy, the top energy producers in the state, lead the way. Their campaign-finance records and political activity reports shows that since 2012, the companies are responsible for two-thirds of the money given to an industry political issue committee known as Protect Colorado, which has spent $30 million since 2013 on ballot initiatives and issues. A public relations front group founded by the two companies in 2013 — Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development — also received more than $30 million in donations in its first three years of existence, according to its tax returns. [Denver Post, <a href="http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/DenverPost/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TDP%2F2017%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar00103&sk=4979516B&mode=text" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">07/16/17</a>] PCEEEI Is Closely Affiliated With Citizens For Responsible Energy Development, A Dark Money Astroturf Group For Anadarko And Noble EnergyPCEEEI Is “Organized” By Citizens For Responsible Energy Development, A Nonprofit Which Is Also Funded By Anadarko And Noble Energy.  “The oversized glossy mailers and robocalls came in waves over the course of weeks to residents of this small Front Range city, asking them to protect their children, property and low tax rates by voting against a proposed city moratorium on the oil-and-gas extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The group behind the campaign calls itself ‘Protect Colorado,’ short for ‘Protecting Colorado’s Environment, Economy and Energy Independence.’ It’s a politics issue committee organized by a public-relations group called Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development, or CRED, which is funded by the two most active Front Range oil-and-gas companies, Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy.” [The Colorado Independent, <a href="https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2014/07/07/oil-and-gas-group-failed-to-file-finance-reports-in-loveland-fracking-election/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">07/07/14</a>]<span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; font-weight: bolder; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">PCEEEI, CRED, And Anadarko Appear To Have A Coordinated Communications Team. “Olson, when contacted on Wednesday, referred a reporter to John Christiansen, vice president of corporate communications for Anadarko. A message left for Christiansen soon triggered a reply from Karen Crummy, spokeswoman for Protect Colorado, the political arm of Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development, which received initial funding from Anadarko and Noble Energy.” [Daily Camera, <a href="https://www.dailycamera.com/2018/08/01/boulder-based-advocates-of-anti-fracking-initiative-facing-hurdles/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">08/01/18</a>]PCEEEI And CRED Shared A Spokesperson In 2017. “‘Scaring people is easy and cheap. Providing factual information on a complex subject is difficult and expensive,’ CRED and Protect Colorado spokeswoman Karen Crummy said in a prepared statement. CRED was created as an ‘education effort to present the public with the science and facts on fracking, she said. Crummy added that ‘Protect Colorado was formed when the energy industry was facing an onslaught of ballot measures and the very deep pockets of one Colorado Congressman who had hundreds of millions of dollars. These measures had the potential to put the industry out of business so we had to fight back.’” [Denver Post, <a href="http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/DenverPost/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TDP%2F2017%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar00103&sk=4979516B&mode=text" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">07/16/17</a>] About Half Of PCEEEI’s Nearly $68 Million Has Come From Anadarko Petroleum And Noble EnergySince It was Established, PCEEEI Has Received A Total Of $67,532,853.73 In Contributions– Nearly all of which is from the Oil and Gas Industry. Its largest contributors by far are Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy, which have given $17,786,736 and $16,326,236 respectively. A list of companies giving PCEEEI over $1 million in a single election cycle in one year includes the following: <ul style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px 25px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$6,941,000 From Anadarko In the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$6,712,500 From Anadarko In the 2016 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$4,115,236 From Anadarko In the 2014 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$6,583,500 From Noble Energy in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$5,627,500 From Noble Energy in the 2016 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$4,115,236 From Noble Energy in the 2014 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$3,499,091 From Extraction Oil & Gas in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$1,047,655 From DCP Midstream in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$1,037,665 From Hall Energy Service Inc in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$3,383,900 from PDC Energy in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$2,235,666 from SRC Energy Inc in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$1,000,000 from ConocoPhillips in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$1,400,000 from Chevron in the 2018 cycle</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">$3,076,971 in in-kind contributions from the Colorado Petroleum Council in the 2018 cycle. [Colorado SoS, <a href="http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeFinancialSummary.aspx?Comm=26709" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;">accessed 07/29/19</a>]</li></ul>Noble Energy Also Funds Vital For Colorado, A “Coalition Of Leading Business And Civic Organizations” That Formed To Fight What They Call The “Anti Energy Movement”Vital For Colorado Announced Its Formation In March 2014. On March 5, 2014, Vital For Colorado announced its launch in a press release: “A coalition of the leading business and civic organizations across the state of Colorado, calling itself Vital for Colorado, has formed to advocate for a responsible oil and gas policy, it was announced today. The group’s launch comes amid various attempts by environmental activists to make it easier for local governments to ban energy development.” [Vital For Colorado Press Release, <a href="https://www.quiatcompanies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Vital-for-Colorado-Launch-Press-Release-3-5-2014.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">03/05/14</a>]Vital For Colorado Formed To Oppose What They Saw As An “Anti Energy Movement” In Colorado. “The Vital group formed last year after several businesses grew concerned with the increasing ‘anti’ energy movement growing in Colorado. Several Denver business leaders were on a trade mission to Houston, where they heard from executives in oil companies.” [Greeley Tribune, <a href="https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/energy-pipeline-business-trade-organizations-pledge-oil-gas-support-through-vital-pledge/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">08/03/14</a>]Noble Energy Gave $157,988 To Vital In 2016. Noble Energy also gave big to Vital for Colorado in 2016, contributing $157,988, according to the company’s filings on its website.” [Greely Tribune, <a href="https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/local/oil-and-gas-big-business-group-bankrolls-denver-based-political-committee-with-100000-donation-in-greeley-city-council-race/" style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">11/04/17</a>]Noble Energy Gave Nearly $358,000 To Vital For Colorado From 2016 Through 2018. Noble Energy gave nearly $358,000 to Vital from 2016 through 2018, based on past political activity reports.” [Colorado Sun, <a href="https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/25/colorado-oil-and-gas-local-campaign-finance/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">04/25/19</a>]Noble Gave $160,000 To Vital In 2016.  “Noble Energy gave $5.6 million to the PCEEEI and $160,000 to Vital for Colorado in 2016.” [Westword, <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/oil-and-gas-companies-fueled-attacks-on-governor-polis-during-election-11329919" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">05/01/19</a>] <h3 style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Noble Energy Has A Bad Environmental Record </h3>Since 2000, Noble Energy Has Had To Pay Over $79 Million In Penalties For Environmental And Safety Violations Noble Energy Has Paid $79,375,270 In Federal Penalties Since 2000. Noble Energy and its subsidiaries have paid nearly $80 million in violations the EPA, OSHA, BSEE, PHMSA, and FERC. The majority of this is from 25 environmental violations totalling $74,937,608. [Violation Tracker, <a href="https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent/noble-energy" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">accessed <span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">10/05/19</a>]Noble Energy Had To Pay $73 Million When It Violated The Clean Air Act By Leaking Noxious Gasses In Colorado’s Air. “Noble Energy announced a settlement Wednesday with sate and federal regulators to resolve outstanding allegations of Clean Air Act violations in Northern Colorado’s DJ Basin. The Houston-based oil and gas operator agreed to spend $73.45 million on system upgrades, projects aimed at reducing air pollution in Colorado and a civil penalty. Noble Energy reached the settlement with The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice and State of Colorado. The settlement resolves claims that Noble Energy failed to adequately design, size, operate and maintain vapor control systems on its controlled condensate storage tanks. That failure resulted in emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Colorado’s DJ Basin. [The Coloradoan, <a href="https://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2015/04/22/noble-energy-settles/26181905/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">04/22/15</a>]<ul style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px 0px 30px 25px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">As Part Of The Settlement, Noble Energy Was Forced To Pay A $4.95 Million Civil Penalty. “Noble will pay a $4.95 million civil penalty divided as follows: $3.475 million to the United States; and $1.475 million to Colorado. […] The settlement resolves past violations of Colorado’s Regulation 7, Section XII requirements for controlling VOC emissions from oil and gas operations. The 2008 version of the Section XII requirements is part of Colorado’s federally-approved State Implementation Plan. Federally-approved State Implementation Plan requirements are federally enforceable under the Clean Air Act. Specifically, the settlement resolves alleged past violations of Regulation 7, Section XII requirements relating to installation, operation, maintenance, design, and sizing of vapor control systems at condensate storage tanks. The settlement also resolves past liability for (i) system-wide emissions reduction requirements under Section XII and (ii) failures to mark identification numbers on storage tanks and combustors.” [US Environmental Protection Agency, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/noble-energy-inc-settlement" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;">04/22/15</a>]</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">In Addition To The Civil Penalty, Noble Had To Pay For $60 Million In Upgrades, $4.5 Million For Environmental Mitigation, And $4 Million On Supplemental Environmental Projects. “As part of the settlement, Noble will spend an estimated $60 million on system upgrades, monitoring and inspections to reduce emissions, in addition to $4.5 million to fund environmental mitigation projects, $4 million on supplemental environmental projects, and a $4.95 million civil penalty. The case arose from a joint EPA and Colorado investigation that found significant VOC emissions coming from storage tanks, primarily due to undersized vapor control systems. Noble has agreed to evaluate vapor control system designs, significantly reduce VOC emissions, and provide reports to the public. These reports will give other companies the opportunity to learn and apply this information to emissions estimates and vapor control system designs. Using advanced monitoring technologies, Noble will be better able to detect air pollution problems in real time and ensure proper operation and maintenance of pollution control equipment.” [US Environmental Protection Agency, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/reference-news-release-noble-energy-inc-agrees-make-system-upgrades-and-fund-projects" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;">04/22/15</a>]</li></ul>After It Was Caught Leaking Poisonous Gas From 78 Wells In Colorado, State Regulators Ordered Noble Energy To Pay $50,000 To Create A “Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness Program.” “In 2011, toxic hydrogen sulfide gas was found in 78 oil wells surrounding the northern Weld County town of Grover. The company operating the wells, Noble Energy, waited nearly eight months to make a required report about the hydrogen sulfide to the state. Just a few breaths of hydrogen sulfide in high concentrations can be fatal, but in lower concentrations, the gas can cause vomiting, dizziness and eye damage. Instead of being fined, Noble, which did not respond to requests for comment, was rewarded for cooperating with the commission, which required the company to create a $50,000 hydrogen sulfide awareness program.” [Associated Press, <a href="https://www.aspentimes.com/news/fines-rare-for-breaking-colorado-drilling-rules/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">04/08/13</a>]Noble Energy Is Responsible For Over A Thousand Oil Spills In ColoradoSince January 1, 2000, Noble Energy Has Reported 1,003 Oil Spills In Colorado. [Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, <a href="https://cogcc.state.co.us/data.html#/cogis" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">accessed <span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">10/15/19</a>]A 2015 Study Found That Noble Energy Had More Oil Spills Than Any Other Company Between 2009 and 2013. “Noble Energy caused 358 spills in Colorado between 2009 and 2013—more than any other operator. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission issued only 19 NOAVS to Noble Energy from 2009 to 2013. However, the Commission’s database includes records for 358 spills by Noble Energy in the same time period. Of those 358 incidents, 89 impacted groundwater and 11 impacted surface water. Only 78 incident reports detailed the surface area of the spills, making it difficult to determine relative severity.” [NRDC Issue Paper, <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/fracking-company-violations-IP.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">April <span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">2015</a>]<h3 style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Noble Energy Gives Millions To Fund Astroturf Campaigns</h3>Noble Energy Funnelled Over $7 Million Into An Astroturf Group To Oppose An Initiated Measure That Would Regulate Fracking On Public Lands In Colorado. “In a last-ditch attempt to defeat one of the most far-reaching environmental measures on the 2018 ballot, a fossil-fuel giant is blanketing Colorado television with election-focused political ads that it now claims are outside the purview of all state campaign-finance laws. The maneuver — which pioneers a novel way for corporations to circumvent disclosure statutes and inject money directly into elections — has been blessed by the office of Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, who has led a Republican political group bankrolled by the same fossil-fuel corporation that is airing the ads. At issue is Proposition 112, a landmark measure that would force fossil-fuel companies to set their drilling and fracking operations further away from hospitals, schools, child-care centers and residential neighborhoods. Natural gas colossus Noble Energy and its subsidiaries have been among the most prominent opponents of the initiative, disclosing $7.1 million in contributions to Protect Colorado, the issue committee opposing the initiative.” [Westword, <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/nobel-energy-finds-way-to-pump-unregulated-cash-into-fight-against-colorados-proposition-112-10916014" style="background-color: rgb(250, 248, 245); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 600; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.35s ease 0s;"><span class="te" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -0.225em; padding: 0px 0.15em; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; display: inline-block; z-index: 9;">10/18/18</a>]</div><div style="font-size: small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div></div><div>=
<div>nov 9</div><div>
</div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">Whether local governments should have more say over oil and gas drilling remained a potent issue this week at the ballot box and at the municipal dais, with multiple Front Range communities grappling with how to handle a surge in drilling permits.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">Voters in Broomfield on <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/11/07/broomfield-question-301-results/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Tuesday approved by a 57 percent margin</a> giving their government more authority over the industry.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">Industry forces said the ballot initiative in Broomfield was not in compliance with state law and was sure to invite costly litigation that taxpayers would have to pay. Even though the courts have ruled that state power to regulate the industry trumps local measures, local residents continue to push local elected officials for action at a time when oil and gas interests also have mobilized themselves politically.
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">The night before voters went to the polls, the Lafayette City Council <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/11/07/lafayette-approves-6-month-oil-and-gas-moratorium/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">passed a six-month moratorium on oil and gas drilling</a> to give time for the city to forge new regulations. Hours after Lafayette acted, industry-backed <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/11/07/greeley-city-council-election-results/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">City Council candidates won elections in Greeley</a> while an engineer who works for Noble Energy, the second-largest driller in the state, narrowly beat back a challenge to a council seat she holds in Thornton.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">One night after election night, controversy continued to erupt, this time in Adams County over plans for 26 wells near Silver Creek Elementary School in Thornton. Homeowners near that proposed well site asked Adams County commissioners to block the wells.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“This is a very volatile, salient issue at the moment,” political consultant Eric Sondermann said. “It’s not going away, … and it’s going to be front and center in 2018, and probably indefinitely into the future.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">All the skirmishing is coming in advance of a projected drilling boom across the Front Range that could last as long as 30 years. Many local government officials say they are trying to respond to angry residents who are jamming public meetings and demanding action.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“We’re at a crossroads, I think, as a state,” said Lafayette Mayor Christine Berg. “Who do we want to be? Do we want oil and gas to continue to operate with impunity and continue to develop closer and closer to our neighborhoods and schools? This is a big issue.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">Industry forces have fought back, signaling they probably will take the Broomfield voter initiative and Lafayette moratorium to the courts, where oil and gas interests prevailed in the past. Last year, the <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/02/colorado-supreme-court-rules-state-law-trumps-local-bans-on-fracking/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Colorado Supreme Court struck down</a> efforts by Fort Collins and Longmont to regulate the industry. Lower courts thwarted similar efforts by Boulder and Larimer counties. The courts have said the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission — not local governments — has ultimate authority over where operators can drill.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“It is hard to see how Ordinance 43 will do anything other than lead to costly — and avoidable — litigation for Lafayette,” wrote Tracee Bentley, executive director of the Colorado Petroleum Council in a letter she sent to the Lafayette City Council before it approved the moratorium. “As you know, <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/08/colorado-attorney-general-boulder-oil-gas-moratorium-lawsuit-dismissed/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Boulder County has already been sued (and lost) this year</a> over its oil and gas moratorium, with legal bills paid for by taxpayers. It defies reason why Lafayette would follow the same path, and with a full understanding that Ordinance 43 is pre-empted by state law.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">Berg said “frustration is at an all-time high” over drilling throughout the Front Range. She said concerns have been enhanced by the <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/02/firestone-explosion-cause-cut-gas-line/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">fatal house explosion in Firestone in April</a> that was linked to a severed natural gas pipeline. Controversies over drilling are likely to spill over into next year’s open-seat races for governor and attorney general, she predicted.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">Berg pointed <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/23/colorado-appeals-court-state-must-protect-health-environment/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">to a Colorado Court of Appeals ruling from March</a> that said the protection of public health and the environment as “a condition that must be fulfilled” by the state before oil and gas drilling can be done. “That case is an important one,” she said. “We are not afraid of the lawsuits.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“We’re going to try to ensure we have strongest regulations possible and push for better leadership on this issue at the state level,” Berg said.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">Industry forces say it’s not fair to say state officials haven’t acted. They point out that state regulators have adopted methane rules for drillers. Regulators in 2013 also adopted a rule requiring a 500-foot buffer from existing homes statewide for new wells. Oil and gas advocates say leaving regulations up to local governments will crimp an industry they contend supports more than 230,000 jobs in Colorado.<aside class="related right" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em 1.25em; padding: 1em 0px 1.5em; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; width: 18.75em; float: right; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);"><h2 class="widget-title" data-curated-ids="" data-relation-type="automatic-primary-tag" style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.22222; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0.5em 0px; border-width: 3px 0px 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">RELATED ARTICLES</h2><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; box-sizing: inherit; float: left; left: auto; position: static; width: 300px;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.625em; padding: 0px 0px 0.625em; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.375; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 2px 0px 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.46667; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 18, 2018<a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/18/hickenlooper-executive-order-orphan-wells/" title="Hickenlooper signs order to release the locations of orphan wells, sets deadline to cap them" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Hickenlooper signs order to release the locations of orphan wells, sets deadline to cap them</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.625em; padding: 0px 0px 0.625em; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.375; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 2px 0px 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.46667; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 16, 2018<a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/16/fiscal-deal-colorado-taxpayer-refunds/" title="A year after fiscal deal, Colorado may owe taxpayer refunds" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">A year after fiscal deal, Colorado may owe taxpayer refunds</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.625em; padding: 0px 0px 0.625em; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.375; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 2px 0px 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.46667; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 15, 2018<a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/15/great-sand-dunes-park-water/" title="Great Sand Dunes Park was born out of cooperation over water" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Great Sand Dunes Park was born out of cooperation over water</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.625em; padding: 0px 0px 0.625em; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.375; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 2px 0px 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.46667; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 14, 2018<a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/14/orhpan-oil-gas-wells-growing-problem/" title="Why “orphan” oil and gas wells are a growing problem for states" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Why “orphan” oil and gas wells are a growing problem for states</a></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.375; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 2px 0px 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.46667; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 11, 2018<a class="article-title" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/11/sovereign-wealth-fund-drops-colorado-investments/" title="World’s largest investment fund drops two investments with Colorado ties" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">World’s largest investment fund drops two investments with Colorado ties</a></li></ul></aside><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit;">The Broomfield initiative, known as Question 301, attracted nearly $400,000 from groups either pushing for passage or trying to block it. <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2017/10/23/broomfield-oil-and-gas-ballot-issue-donations/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 52, 89); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Most of that came from the extraction industry,</a> which put up $345,000 — in both monetary and in-kind contributions in a failed effort to defeat it.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“At best, 301 — which flies in the face of state law by declaring ‘plenary authority’ over oil and gas permitting decisions — will trigger lawsuits and force Broomfield taxpayers to waste large sums of public money on litigation,” Peter Moore, chairman of Vital for Colorado, a business coalition that supports energy development, said in an emailed statement.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">Jim Alexee, executive director of the Colorado Sierra Club, noted that his side prevailed despite being outspent tenfold in the fight in Broomfield. He called the win “a shot across the bow” for energy interests.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250);">“Voters saw through the oil and gas industry’s corrosive, corrupt influence on our politics,” he said in an emailed statement. “Together, individuals from across the political spectrum voted to stand with scientists and Colorado families by voting for a commonsense, bipartisan fracking solution.”</div><div>
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</div><div><div>Oil and gas-linked money — to the tune of $300,000-plus — pours into city council races north of Denver</div><div>
</div><div>Vital for Colorado contributes $328,000 in local elections in five Front Range cities</div><div>
</div><div>Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post A large Crestone Peak Resources drilling operation, with large noise dampening walls, has Longs Peak in the background near Frederick.</div><div>By JOHN AGUILAR | jaguilar@denverpost.com | The Denver Post</div><div>PUBLISHED: November 3, 2017 at 8:49 pm | UPDATED: November 16, 2017</div><div>
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</div><div>The deep divide over oil and gas drilling in north metro neighborhoods has not only played out in dramatic, late-night City Council meetings but now fuels local political races to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.</div><div>
</div><div>According to filings made with the clerks in Greeley, Broomfield, Thornton, Aurora and Loveland late Friday, the pro-oil and gas organization Vital for Colorado has given $328,000 to local campaign committees to help get business-friendly candidates elected Tuesday.</div><div>
</div><div>While organizations representing the other side of the energy extraction debate haven’t sat out the fight at the local level, they haven’t been able to match the financial muscle of Vital for Colorado, which describes itself as a coalition of state business leaders focused on energy policy.</div><div>
</div><div>Still, they’ve poured close to $40,000 into council races in Broomfield, where oil and gas drilling has been a red-hot topic of late. The Sierra Club alone contributed $35,000 to the anti-fracking group Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Broomfield, according to Friday’s filings.</div><div>
</div><div>In Aurora, Conservation Colorado Grassroots Action has amassed $11,500 in contributions while anti-drilling group Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Thornton has put tens of thousands of dollars into an effort to defeat Councilwoman Jan Kulmann and get Suzie Brundage elected in her place.</div><div>
</div><div>“The money will follow the battle lines and increasingly the battle lines are in front of City Councils and mayors instead of just the governor and the state legislature,” said Eric Sondermann, an independent political analyst.</div><div>
</div><div>It’s no secret that the oil and gas industry has been active in trying to shape public opinion and influence campaigns and ballot initiatives. In July, The Denver Post calculated that the industry had spent more than $80 million over the past four years to influence elections and policy in the state.</div><div>
</div><div>Vital for Colorado’s chair and CEO, Peter Moore, said local races in recent years have turned nasty, “targeted by anti-business groups with illegal ballot measures, recalls and other divisive political tactics.”</div><div>
</div><div>“Pro-business candidates and pro-business citizens are up against the local chapters of Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Indivisible and other national activist groups,” Moore said. “Colorado’s business community takes local government very seriously, and when fringe anti-business groups interfere in local elections, we have no choice but to respond.”</div><div>
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</div><div>RELATED ARTICLES</div><div>JULY 18, 2018 Hickenlooper signs order to release the locations of orphan wells, sets deadline to cap them</div><div>JULY 16, 2018 A year after fiscal deal, Colorado may owe taxpayer refunds</div><div>JULY 15, 2018 Great Sand Dunes Park was born out of cooperation over water</div><div>JULY 14, 2018 Why “orphan” oil and gas wells are a growing problem for states</div><div>JULY 11, 2018 World’s largest investment fund drops two investments with Colorado ties</div><div>
</div><div>And respond it has in this election cycle, with $125,000 in contributions to expenditure committees in Aurora, $100,000 in Greeley, $75,000 in Thornton, $18,000 in Loveland and $10,000 in Broomfield.</div><div>
</div><div>The organization has also weighed in heavily in a related battle over Question 301, a proposed amendment to Broomfield’s home-rule charter that would require protection of health, safety and the environment as preconditions for oil and gas drilling in the city.</div><div>
</div><div>Vital for Colorado has given $190,000 to an issue committee opposed to the measure.</div><div>
</div><div>Theresa Conley, advocacy director for Conservation Colorado, said the oil and gas debate is one that “Coloradans care about” and will continue to do so as long as wells continue to be drilled close to where people live and play.</div><div>
</div><div>Until this year, Conley said, Conservation Colorado hadn’t been politically involved much at the hyper-local level. But that has changed as increasingly vocal residents across Denver’s northern suburbs demand that limits be placed on oil and gas operations near their homes.</div><div>
</div><div>“As you’re seeing oil and gas moving toward developed communities, it’s becoming more of a pressure point,” she said.</div><div>
</div><div>In Thornton, that flashpoint has become the Ward IV race for City Council, where Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Thornton has put thousands of dollars toward defeating Kulmann, who was threatened with a recall election last year.</div><div>
</div><div>Many of her opponents said her job as an engineer for Noble Energy was a conflict of interest with her duties as a councilwoman. Kulmann said attack ads against her during this election campaign have been hurtful.</div><div>
</div><div>“They are very personal,” she said. “The downside is that qualified people from any walk of life won’t want to run for office.”</div><div>
</div><div>Brundage, a social worker who has lived in Thornton most of her life, differentiates herself from Kulmann on the energy issue by saying she would have voted for the tough oil and gas regulations the city recently passed that her opponent voted against.</div><div>
</div><div>But, like her opponent, Brundage isn’t a fan of all the cash flooding into local elections.</div><div>
</div><div>“It should be a people-powered campaign,” she said.</div><div>
</div><div>Sondermann said the money isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, he said, 2017 could well be a “precursor” for what might come next year, when the race for governor comes into view and state candidates try to change the political balance in both chambers at the state Capitol.</div><div>
</div><div>“It’s going to be all hands on deck,” he said, “and all checkbooks on deck.”</div><div>
</div></div><div>
<div>off bs</div><div>Vital for Colorado is a <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/501(c)(4)" title="501(c)(4)" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">501(c)(4)</a> coalition located in Greenwood Village, Colo.<span id="cite_ref-taxes2013_1-0" class="reference" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-taxes2013-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[1]</a> The group aims to foster energy production in Colorado and encourage a competitive regulatory environment for the region's energy production industry.<span id="cite_ref-About_2-0" class="reference" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-About-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[2]</a><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Mission</h2>As of June 2017, the website for Vital for Colorado listed the following mission statement for the organization:<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-About-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[2]</a><div class="scrollable-table-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-x: auto; width: 1097px; max-width: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><table style="box-sizing: border-box; border-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: transparent; max-width: 100%; float: none !important; border: none;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;"><tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 3px;" width="20" valign="top">“</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; padding: 4px 10px;" valign="top">Vital for Colorado is a broad coalition of business, civic and economic development leaders along with thousands of Coloradans from across the state. Its mission is to support and promote the benefits of energy production in Colorado, highlight energy resource extraction as a critical part of Colorado’s state economy, and support a rational, well-regulated, and competitive regulatory environment which allows energy production in the state to thrive responsibly.<span id="cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_3-0" class="reference" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-3" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[3]</a></td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;" width="20" valign="bottom">”</td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Background</h2>Vital for Colorado was founded in 2013 when, according to the group's business plan, a group of business leaders decided to form a coalition that would highlight what the group considers to be the benefits of energy production in the state of Colorado.<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-taxes2013-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[1]</a><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-Plan-4" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[4]</a>The group states in its draft business plan that its two long-term goals are "to advocate and educate in support of rational, competitive business policy in upcoming Colorado legislative sessions and local policy discussions across the state," and to "persuade the broader community of voices in the state of Colorado that energy issues are more than just about oil and gas – they are about the prosperity and opportunities of an entire state."<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-Plan-4" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[4]</a>The group also works to oppose anti-fracking initiatives in Colorado by hosting media events, producing op-eds and columns, writing open letters to elected leaders, and keeping members informed with monthly newsletters and a blog.<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-Report-5" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[5]</a><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[6]</a>The group allows individuals to take action with its “seven principles” pledge, a document that expresses support for oil and gas development in Colorado and opposes energy bans as well as what the group describes as the development of a "patchwork quilt of inconsistent regulations" across the state.<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">[7]</a>Over 30,000 individuals have signed the pledge since it was first made available online.<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-Report-5" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">[5]</a><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Leadership</h2>As of June 2017, the website for Vital for Colorado listed the following individuals as members of the organization's board of directors:<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[8]</a><div class="mobile-columns" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); column-count: 2;"><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.6em 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Peter Moore</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Scott Prestidge</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Gayle Dendinger</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Neil Ray</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Michael Dunafon</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Loren R. Furman</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Robert Golden</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kevin Hougen</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kittie L. Hook</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Michelle Smith</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Dana M. Svendsen</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chad Vorthmann</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mike Kopp</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Wade Frisbie</li></ul></div><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Finances</h2>Below is a breakdown of Vital for Colorado's revenue (from contributions and grants and investment income) and expenses for the 2013 fiscal year:<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_note-taxes2013-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">[1]</a>  <table class="wikitable" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-spacing: 0px; background-image: none; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); max-width: 100%; width: 450px;"><tbody style="box-sizing: border-box;"><tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><th colspan="3" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding-right: 0.4em; padding-left: 0.4em; background: rgb(0, 128, 0); text-align: center; padding-top: 3px !important; padding-bottom: 3px !important;" align="center">Annual revenue and expenses for Vital for Colorado, 2013</th></tr><tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><th style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding-right: 0.4em; padding-left: 0.4em; background: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-align: center; padding-top: 3px !important; padding-bottom: 3px !important;">Tax Year</th><th style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding-right: 0.4em; padding-left: 0.4em; background: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-align: center; padding-top: 3px !important; padding-bottom: 3px !important;">Total Revenue</th><th style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding-right: 0.4em; padding-left: 0.4em; background: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-align: center; padding-top: 3px !important; padding-bottom: 3px !important;">Total Expenses</th></tr><tr style="box-sizing: border-box;"><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding: 0.2em 0.4em;">2013</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding: 0.2em 0.4em;">$435,331</td><td style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); padding: 0.2em 0.4em;">$424,827</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Recent news</h2>The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Vital for Colorado. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.<div class="rss-feed" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&q=Vital+for+Colorado&um=1&ie=UTF-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaavkleqvr4xn3pgqkamqhduxfqtu7kttkpd5ra8ainfartq2irxfwt2qedafttj2fspioe1ecoleuowwjgzyab="AAAAVklEQVR4Xn3PgQkAMQhDUXfqTu7kTtkpd5RA8AInfArtQ2iRXFWT2QedAfttj2FsPIOE1eCOlEuoWWjgzYaB" ikegorxxhqb="IkeGOrxXhqB" ua9bfcm0lazuh="uA9Bfcm0lAZuh" yiead="YIeAD" caqsz4kcmuaaaaasuvork5cyii=") right center no-repeat; text-decoration-line: none; padding-right: 13px;" xmlns:data="data">Vital for Colorado - Google News</a></div><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">See also</h2><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.6em 1.6em; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/501(c)(4)" title="501(c)(4)" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">501(c)(4)</a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Greenwood Village, Colo.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Fracking" title="Fracking" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">Fracking</a></li></ul><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">External links</h2><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.6em 1.6em; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/info/?tab=page_info" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaduleqvqyv2p4="AAAAdUlEQVQYV2P4" awxv3lthf0dxkxyd="Awxv3LThf0dXKxyD" da5deug="DA5DEUg" twrv2aawtfcibojyjrhctgtrmcgebhpl2="tWrV2AaWTFcIboJyJrhCtGtRMcgebhpL2" v="v" lvn="Lvn" x="x" irjifn8v="IRjIfn8v" p="P" t055gxzgkpzac8y="t055gxZgKPzaC8Y" nmyqvlpnm8f="nMYQVLpnM8f" zo3aqkfzyool="zo3AqKfzyOOL" h="h" sh="sh" c9sbusiyvaerdjwjk4e="c9sBUSIyvAeRdJWjk4E" aaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" right="right" center="center" no-repeat="no-repeat" text-decoration-line="text-decoration-line" none="none" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" xmlns:data="data">Vital for Colorado Facebook</a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://www.vitalforcolorado.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaavkleqvr4xn3pgqkamqhduxfqtu7kttkpd5ra8ainfartq2irxfwt2qedafttj2fspioe1ecoleuowwjgzyab="AAAAVklEQVR4Xn3PgQkAMQhDUXfqTu7kTtkpd5RA8AInfArtQ2iRXFWT2QedAfttj2FsPIOE1eCOlEuoWWjgzYaB" ikegorxxhqb="IkeGOrxXhqB" ua9bfcm0lazuh="uA9Bfcm0lAZuh" yiead="YIeAD" caqsz4kcmuaaaaasuvork5cyii=") right center no-repeat; text-decoration-line: none; padding-right: 13px;" xmlns:data="data">Official website</a></li></ul><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; border-left: 5px solid rgb(50, 56, 61); padding: 10px; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244);">Footnotes</h2><div class="references-small" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px; overflow: hidden; max-height: 10em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="mobile-columns" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-y: hidden; max-height: 10em !important;"><div class="mw-references-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><ol class="references" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 3.2em; padding: 0px;"><li id="cite_note-taxes2013-1" style="box-sizing: border-box;">↑ <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-taxes2013_1-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up to:1.0</a> <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-taxes2013_1-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">1.1</a> <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-taxes2013_1-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">1.2</a> <a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/463/463364750/463364750_201312_990O.pdf?ga=1.261944205.1278006937.1439430792" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" https="https" upload.wikimedia.org="upload.wikimedia.org" wikipedia="wikipedia" commons="commons" thumb="thumb" icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" px-icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="px-Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" right="right" center="center" no-repeat="no-repeat" text-decoration-line="text-decoration-line" none="none" padding-right="padding-right" px="px">The Foundation Center, "2013 IRS Tax Form 990," accessed September 29, 2015</a></li><li id="cite_note-About-2" style="box-sizing: border-box;">↑ <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-About_2-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up to:2.0</a> <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-About_2-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">2.1</a> <a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20170610182435/http://vitalforcolorado.com/our-coalition-lp/about/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaavkleqvr4xn3pgqkamqhduxfqtu7kttkpd5ra8ainfartq2irxfwt2qedafttj2fspioe1ecoleuowwjgzyab="AAAAVklEQVR4Xn3PgQkAMQhDUXfqTu7kTtkpd5RA8AInfArtQ2iRXFWT2QedAfttj2FsPIOE1eCOlEuoWWjgzYaB" ikegorxxhqb="IkeGOrxXhqB" ua9bfcm0lazuh="uA9Bfcm0lAZuh" yiead="YIeAD" caqsz4kcmuaaaaasuvork5cyii=") right center no-repeat; text-decoration-line: none; padding-right: 13px;" xmlns:data="data">Vital for Colorado, "About," archived June 10, 2017</a></li><li id="cite_note-quotedisclaimer-3" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_3-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up↑</a> Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributed to the original source.</li><li id="cite_note-Plan-4" style="box-sizing: border-box;">↑ <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-Plan_4-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up to:4.0</a> <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-Plan_4-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">4.1</a> <a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://www.vitalforcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Vital-for-Colorado-Business-Plan_W.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" https="https" upload.wikimedia.org="upload.wikimedia.org" wikipedia="wikipedia" commons="commons" thumb="thumb" icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" px-icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="px-Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" right="right" center="center" no-repeat="no-repeat" text-decoration-line="text-decoration-line" none="none" padding-right="padding-right" px="px">Vital for Colorado, "Draft Business Plan," October 22, 2013</a></li><li id="cite_note-Report-5" style="box-sizing: border-box;">↑ <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-Report_5-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up to:5.0</a> <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-Report_5-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">5.1</a> <a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://www.vitalforcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Vital_Colorado_Annual_Report_2014_PRINT_PAGES1.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" https="https" upload.wikimedia.org="upload.wikimedia.org" wikipedia="wikipedia" commons="commons" thumb="thumb" icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" px-icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif="px-Icons-mini-file_acrobat.gif" right="right" center="center" no-repeat="no-repeat" text-decoration-line="text-decoration-line" none="none" padding-right="padding-right" px="px">Vital for Colorado, "Vital for Colorado A Leading Voice for Responsible Oil and Gas Development, A Look Back at 2014," accessed September 29, 2015</a></li><li id="cite_note-6" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#cite_ref-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; user-select: none; top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up↑</a> <a target="blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="external text" href="http://www.vitalforcolorado.com/in-the-news/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaavkleqvr4xn3pgqkamqhduxfqtu7kttkpd5ra8ainfartq2irxfwt2qedafttj2fspioe1ecoleuowwjgzyab="AAAAVklEQVR4Xn3PgQkAMQhDUXfqTu7kTtkpd5RA8AInfArtQ2iRXFWT2QedAfttj2FsPIOE1eCOlEuoWWjgzYaB" ikegorxxhqb="IkeGOrxXhqB" ua9bfcm0lazuh="uA9Bfcm0lAZuh" yiead="YIeAD" caqsz4kcmuaaaaasuvork5cyii=") right center no-repeat; text-decoration-line: none; padding-right: 13px;" xmlns:data="data">Vital for Colorado, "In the News," accessed September 29, 2015</a></li></ol></div></div></div><div>
</div><div>=</div><div>c</div><div class="g WsjYwc" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="ts Pg8zWb hqn4Zb C1Iii FddHQd tsUanb" style="border-collapse: collapse; display: inline-block; width: 600px;"><div class="gG0TJc" style="padding-bottom: 4px;"><h3 class="r dO0Ag" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><a class="l lLrAF" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/10/colorado-oil-gas-ballot-initiative/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/10/colorado-oil-gas-ballot-initiative/&ved=0ahUKEwjot_DB367cAhVCXq0KHb42DkYQqQIIJigAMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">olorado oil and gas ballot initiative would bar extraction on more ...</a></h3><div class="slp">The Denver Post-Jul 10, 2018</div><div class="st" style="line-height: 1.4; word-wrap: break-word;">More than 4 of every 5 acres of non-federal land in Colorado would be .... But Peter Moore, head of pro-drilling coalition Vital for Colorado, ...</div></div></div></div><div class="g WsjYwc" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="ts Pg8zWb hqn4Zb aaw5c FddHQd tsUanb" style="border-collapse: collapse; display: inline-block; width: 600px;"><div class="gG0TJc" style="padding-bottom: 4px;"><h3 class="r dO0Ag" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><a class="l lLrAF" href="http://www.journal-advocate.com/sterling-local_news/ci_32014914/initiative-would-restrict-extraction" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.journal-advocate.com/sterling-local_news/ci_32014914/initiative-would-restrict-extraction&ved=0ahUKEwjot_DB367cAhVCXq0KHb42DkYQqQIIKCgAMAE" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Initiative would restrict extraction</a></h3><div class="slp">Journal Advocate-Jul 17, 2018</div><div class="st" style="line-height: 1.4; word-wrap: break-word;">More than 4 of every 5 acres of non-federal land in Colorado would be ... But Peter Moore, head of pro-drilling coalition Vital for Colorado, ...</div></div></div></div><div class="g WsjYwc" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="ts Pg8zWb hqn4Zb aaw5c FddHQd tsUanb" style="border-collapse: collapse; display: inline-block; width: 600px;"><div class="gG0TJc" style="padding-bottom: 4px;"><h3 class="r dO0Ag" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><a class="l lLrAF" href="http://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/news/ci_32004095/ballot-initiative-would-bar-drilling-swaths-non-federal" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/news/ci_32004095/ballot-initiative-would-bar-drilling-swaths-non-federal&ved=0ahUKEwjot_DB367cAhVCXq0KHb42DkYQqQIIKigAMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Ballot initiative would bar drilling on swaths of non-federal land</a></h3><div class="slp">Broomfield Enterprise-Jul 12, 2018</div><div class="st" style="line-height: 1.4; word-wrap: break-word;">More than 4 of every 5 acres of non-federal land in Colorado would be ... But Peter Moore, head of pro-drilling coalition Vital for Colorado, ...</div></div></div></div><div></div><div>
</div><div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="38" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQgmKAAwAA"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFggnMAA" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Vital for Colorado</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b0" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IKDAA" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IKTAA" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:U9ufueJhdKsJ:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:U9ufueJhdKsJ:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/%2B%26cd%3D1%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAgqMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwgrMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwgrMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">I believe in the importance of responsible and reasonable energy development. ... Oil and natural gas—a great opportunity for the state of Colorado, but only if ...</a><div class="osl" style="margin-top: 0px;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwgrMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">‎</a><a class="fl" href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/vital_for_colorado_podcasts" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/vital_for_colorado_podcasts&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIILSgAMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Vital for Colorado Podcasts</a> · ‎<a class="fl" href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/leadership" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/leadership&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIILigBMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Leadership</a> · ‎<a class="fl" href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIILygCMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">About</a> · ‎<a class="fl" href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/pledge" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/pledge&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIIMCgDMAA" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">The Pledge</a></div></div><div jsl="$t t--ddbPTeIsNI;$x 0;" class="r-iPE11j_syZZA" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ2Z0BCDEwAA"><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="54" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQg2KAEwAQ"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFgg3MAE" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">About - Vital for Colordado - Vital for Colorado</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b1" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IODAB" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IOTAB" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:K-HI4tvEGg8J:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:K-HI4tvEGg8J:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about%2B%26cd%3D2%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAg6MAE" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:K-HI4tvEGg8J:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:K-HI4tvEGg8J:https://www.vitalforcolorado.com/about%2B%26cd%3D2%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAg6MAE" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">The origins of Vital for Colorado can be traced back to the energy advocacy work of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. In the late 2000s, the ...</a></div><div jsl="$t t--ddbPTeIsNI;$x 0;" class="r-iqVwFC_A4MxA" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ2Z0BCDswAQ"><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="63" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQg_KAIwAg"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghAMAI" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Vital for Colorado - Ballotpedia</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b2" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IQTAC" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IQjAC" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kOXJzleOSvMJ:https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:kOXJzleOSvMJ:https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado%2B%26cd%3D3%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhDMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhEMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhEMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Vital for Colorado is a 501(c)(4) coalition located in Greenwood Village, Colo. The group aims to fosterenergy production in Colorado and encourage a ...</a><div class="osl" style="margin-top: 0px;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhEMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">‎</a><a class="fl" href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#Mission" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado%23Mission&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIIRigAMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Mission</a> · ‎<a class="fl" href="https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado#Background" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ballotpedia.org/Vital_for_Colorado%23Background&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ0gIIRygBMAI" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer;">Background</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="72" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhIKAMwAw"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghJMAM" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Vital for Colorado - Home | Facebook</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b3" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0ISjAD" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8ISzAD" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhMMAM" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.facebook.com/VitalforColorado/+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhMMAM" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">It's never fun thinking about energy bills — especially in the middle of summer, when soaring temperatures often lead us to crank up the AC, only to regret it…</a></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="77" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhNKAQwBA"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghOMAQ" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Energy in Colorado | Colorado Energy Office - Colorado.gov</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b4" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0ITzAE" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IUDAE" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8Po58qZT-ioJ:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado+&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:8Po58qZT-ioJ:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado%2B%26cd%3D5%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhRMAQ" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
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</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=related:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/energy-colorado+vital+for+colorado+energy&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQHwhSMAQ" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Energy in Colorado. Energy is vital to the Colorado way of life — powering our lights, heating our homes and fueling our vehicles. Colorado's diverse portfolio of energy resources includes both fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, and renewables, like wind and solar.</a></div><div jsl="$t t--ddbPTeIsNI;$x 0;" class="r-ihWIxlgW7Fxs" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ2Z0BCFMwBA"><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="91" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhbKAUwBQ"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghcMAU" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Vital for Colorado (@VitalforColo) | Twitter</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b5" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IXTAF" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IXjAF" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:E8hOn9ZmvwoJ:https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo+&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:E8hOn9ZmvwoJ:https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo%2B%26cd%3D6%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhfMAU" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:E8hOn9ZmvwoJ:https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo+&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:E8hOn9ZmvwoJ:https://twitter.com/vitalforcolo%2B%26cd%3D6%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhfMAU" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">The latest Tweets from Vital for Colorado (@VitalforColo): ". ... unfortunate in a state like Colorado where tens of thousands of people work in a vibrant energy ...</a></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="96" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhgKAYwBg"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghhMAY" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">VITAL for Colorado - COGA, Energy Summit — Colorado Business ...</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b6" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IYjAG" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IYzAG" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TTvoSCOTOXwJ:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:TTvoSCOTOXwJ:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga%2B%26cd%3D7%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhkMAY" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TTvoSCOTOXwJ:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:TTvoSCOTOXwJ:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/vital-coga%2B%26cd%3D7%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhkMAY" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Aug 18, 2017 - Peter Moore, President and CEO of VITAL for Colorado, joins us to discuss the importance of energy production in our state along with Dan ...</a></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="102" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhmKAcwBw"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghnMAc" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">VITAL for Colorado - Energy Accountability Series — Colorado ...</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b7" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IaDAH" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IaTAH" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TkQlm1nbgH8J:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability+&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:TkQlm1nbgH8J:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability%2B%26cd%3D8%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhqMAc" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TkQlm1nbgH8J:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability+&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:TkQlm1nbgH8J:https://www.cobrt.com/radio/energu-accountability%2B%26cd%3D8%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhqMAc" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Dec 16, 2016 - VITAL for Colorado joins us on Connect & Collaborate, to discuss the importance ofenergy production in the state. Peter Moore, CEO ...</a></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 26px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="108" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhsKAgwCA"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghtMAg" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Vital for Colorado | Inside Energy</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b8" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IbjAI" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IbzAI" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ptah1EBc9OMJ:insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:ptah1EBc9OMJ:insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D9%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhwMAg" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ptah1EBc9OMJ:insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:ptah1EBc9OMJ:insideenergy.org/tag/vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D9%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAhwMAg" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Nov 1, 2017 - Oil and gas money is pouring into a local ballot fight about health and safety in Broomfield,Colorado. Inside Energy's Leigh Paterson reports on ...</a></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 28px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div data-hveid="114" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFQhyKAkwCQ"><div class="rc" style="position: relative;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQFghzMAk" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">CASE STUDY: Vital for Colorado – EIS Solutions</a></h3><div class="s" style="max-width: 48em; line-height: 18px;"><div class="f hJND5c TbwUpd" style="height: 18px; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><cite class="iUh30" style="font-style: normal;">eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/</cite><div class="action-menu ab_ctl" style="display: inline; position: relative; margin: 1px 3px 0px; user-select: none; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="GHDvEf ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=vital+for+colorado+energy&oq=vital+for+colorado+energy+&aqs=chrome..69i57.8000j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b9" aria-label="Result Options" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" jsaction="m.tdd;keydown:m.hbke;keypress:m.mskpe" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQ7B0IdDAJ" style="border-radius: 0px; cursor: default; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 1px 0px 2px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; user-select: none; background-image: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration-line: none; display: inline-block;"><span class="mn-dwn-arw" style="border-color: rgb(0, 102, 33) transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 5px 4px 0px; width: 0px; height: 0px; margin-left: 3px; top: 7.5px; margin-top: -4px; position: absolute; left: 0px;" /></a><div class="action-menu-panel ab_dropdown" role="menu" tabindex="-1" jsaction="keydown:m.hdke;mouseover:m.hdhne;mouseout:m.hdhue" data-ved="0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQqR8IdTAJ" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: auto; top: 12px; z-index: 3; transition: opacity 0.218s; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 2px 4px; left: 0px; visibility: hidden;"><ol style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><li class="action-menu-item ab_dropdownitem" role="menuitem" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; list-style: none; user-select: none; cursor: pointer;"><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D10%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAh2MAk" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;" />
</li></ol></div></div></div><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D10%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAh2MAk" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">Mar 23, 2017 - An organization dedicated to promoting the economic benefits of responsible energydevelopment in Colorado, Vital for Colorado has stood on ...</a></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D10%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAh2MAk" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;">=</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="fl" href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search%3Fq%3Dcache:x-3fBrQB91cJ:eissolutions.com/case-study-vital-for-colorado/%2B%26cd%3D10%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ved=0ahUKEwjCmu3p3q7cAhWH_YMKHcb6CUwQIAh2MAk" style="text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; padding: 7px 18px; outline: 0px;"></a><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/12/bradley-foundation-funds-web-climate-change-deniers/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/12/bradley-foundation-funds-web-climate-change-deniers/</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Armiak</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bradley Foundation internal documents reviewed by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveal a concerted effort by the organization to delegitimize climate science, while promoting fossil fuel energy development in the United States.An analysis of Bradley’s climate-related activities shows that the foundation has made significant grants to support energy policy think tanks, attack-dog groups that target environmentalists, and efforts to discredit climate science.A 2013 internal foundation document details how Bradley “instructed staff to explore options…to make more energy-related grants.” The document also notes that the Board gave a “terminal grant” of $263,591 to the Sand County Foundation (SCF), which previously administered the Bradley Fund for the Environment.The documents do not reveal Bradley’s motivation in splitting from SCF, but they do outline a serious effort to promote fossil fuel industry interests at the expense of the environment.<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">CENTERS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL AND FOSSIL FUEL DEVELOPMENT</h2>As part of its push to support studies and public relations to cast doubt on mounting scientific evidence on climate change, Bradley has focused its resources on “Energy Policy Centers,” many of which are housed in “Bradley-supported” <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/spn/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">State Policy Network</a> (SPN) “think tanks.” SPN is a web of 156 right-wing groups in 49 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, and the UK that receives funding from the billionaire Koch brothers, the Bradley Foundation, and the Roe Foundation, as well as many multi-national corporations.The examined documents show that the Center for Energy Policy and the Environment (CEPE) at the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Manhattan_Institute_for_Policy_Research" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Manhattan Institute for Policy Research</a> (MIPR), a member of SPN, received a total of $500,000 for its Center, with another $200,000 distributed in <a href="http://www.bradleyfdn.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Report2016/2016%20Annual%20Report.pdf" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">2016</a>. (Manhattan Institute for Policy Research GPR, February 23, 2016) CEPE works to promote fossil fuel development despite the devastating effects of climate change. A background document on CEPE states its goal clearly: “The Center’s research and public education activity aims at demonstrating that the United States is poised to reap substantial economic benefits in the form of job creation, lower gasoline and electricity prices, and increased productivity provided public policies allow companies to access valuable energy resources and distribute them at home and abroad.”A recommendation by Bradley staff on the Manhattan Institute’s 2016 grant proposal specifically states that CEPE is worth funding because, “They have succeeded in identifying and publicizing so many of the falsehoods that surround energy and the environment.” (Manhattan Institute for Policy Research GPR, February 23, 2016) Anexample of this “success” can be found in the work of CEPE senior fellow Mark Mills, who is recognized as originating the idea that North America can surpass the Middle East as the largest energy supplier in the world. (Manhattan Institute for Policy Research GPR, November 12, 2013)The Energy Policy Center (EPC) at another SPN “think tank”, the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Independence_Institute" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Independence Institute</a>, received $195,000 from the Bradley Foundation between 2012 and 2016.Bradley documents examined show that EPC’s purpose is to “consciously counter-balance former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter’s environmental think tank” at Colorado State University, which promotes a “New Energy Economy.”Bradley considers EPC to be highly successful in fighting local and federal environmental initiatives. The Bradley documents note that EPC was a “key coalition partner” in preempting local bans on fracking in Colorado, and that it “has developed a toolkit for policymakers, attorneys general, and other conservative state think tanks to help them push back against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.” (Independence Institute GPR, June 2, 2015)In addition to these two centers, Bradley has funded the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) at the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Competitive_Enterprise_Institute" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Competitive Enterprise Institute</a> (CEI), an “associate member” of SPN, and the Center for Energy Innovation and Independence at Consumers’ Research.CEE is led by the prominent climate change denier Myron Ebell, who steered Trump’s EPA transition team. Ebell also chairs the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cooler_Heads_Coalition" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Cooler Heads Coalition</a>, which brings together right-wing activists and scholars for monthly meetings. The coalition was established on May 6, 1997, “to dispel the myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific and risk analysis.”CEI was long tied to tobacco disinformation campaigns, but is now a leading organization in the movement to discredit climate science.Bradley does not mention how much of its funding to CEI was designated for CEE operations. Between 1986 and 2015, Bradley Foundation gave $2.2 million to CEI, the majority of which was “to support general operations.” (Competitive Enterprise Institute GPR, June 2, 2015).The Center for Energy Innovation and Independence received $250,000 from Bradley in 2013 to get the new group off the ground. According to a background document, the group “will closely monitor federal environmental regulations and potentially lay the foundation for multi-state litigation against them, similar to those actions in the Obamacare and Dodd-Frank lawsuits, of which aggressive (Scott) Pruitt was and is a part.” Pruitt is the former AG of Oklahoma and recently resigned as the EPA Administrator under Trump.<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">SMEAR CAMPAIGNS AND FUNDING EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT CLIMATE SCIENCE</h2>At the same time Bradley rolled out funding for “Energy Policy Centers,” it was doling out cash to discredit environmental organizations and climate change science.A grant proposal record for the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Center_for_Consumer_Freedom" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Center for Consumer Freedom</a> (CCF), a front group created by the close Bradley ally <a target="blank" rel="noopener" style="outline: none; background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 102); box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Rick Berman</a>, details an organized effort to weaken the credibility of well-respected, national environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council, and Food and Water Watch. (The Center for Consumer Freedom GPR, November 12, 2013) Berman also founded <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rick_Berman" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Berman and Company</a>, a notorious Washington, D.C.-based corporate lobbying and PR company known for creating numerous corporate “front groups” and astroturf propaganda campaigns.Berman’s anti-environmental project at CCF was called Big Green Radicals and was seeded with a $150,000 “public education” <a href="http://www.bradleyfdn.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5haFFTeImkg=&portalid=0" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">grant</a> from Bradley in 2013.According to Bradley’s background document, the Big Green Radicals project would include the following components:<blockquote style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 40px;">[N]ew, updated research profiles for NRDC, Food and Water Watch, and Sierra Club; standalone websites for all three organizations; a Facebook group seeded with several thousand fans to provide a base for the message; the production of two online videos to explain the real agenda of the environmental left; and Google keyword advertising for members of the media and the public searching for information about one of the targeted groups.</blockquote>In addition to providing the start-up funding for Big Green Radicals, Bradley gave $85,000 to the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Capital_Research_Center" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Capital Research Center</a> (CRC), a group led by former Berman and Company employee Scott Walter. The grant was designated for “general operations,” but it may have been used to support the publication Green Watch. A background document on CRC states that, “Green Watch tracks the money flow to environmental nonprofits and critiques their positions, and those of their allies, including their policymaking ones.” (Capital Research Center GPR, August 19, 2014)Since 2014, the Bradley Foundation has distributed numerous grants to discredit the vast amount of scientific research demonstrating the harmful effects of climate change. In 2014, it gave $65,000 to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_C.Marshall_Institute" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">George C. Marshall Institute</a> (GMI), a right-wing front group largely funded by oil and gas interests. Newsweek <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/global-warming-deniers-well-funded-99775" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">called</a> GMI “a central cog in the denial machine” in 2007.GMI folded in late 2015, so Bradley recommended $50,000 in “seed funding” the following year for its “successor organization,” the CO2 Coalition. The coalition is led by a <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/William_Happer" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Dr. William Happer</a>, a well-known climate change denier. “We’re doing our best to try and counter this myth that CO2 is a dangerous pollutant. It’s not a pollutant at all,” Happer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Asj-3efMVB8" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">said</a> at a Heritage Foundation event on energy and climate.Another $10,000 Bradley grant in 2014 for the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change (CSCDGC) went to support its Science & Public Policy Institute (SPPI). A staff recommendation notes that SPPI “has helped demonstrate that no real-world data confirms that floods, draughts [sic], or hurricanes are becoming more frequent or severe, as global-warming alarmists allege. Neither is there any real-world data that sea levels are about to rise precipitously, inundating the world’s coasted [sic] lowlands, as is also often alleged.” (Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change GPR, June 17, 2014)<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">ENERGY ROUNDTABLES</h2>Documents show that, beginning in 2013, Bradley provided funding to the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Thomas_Jefferson_Institute_for_Public_Policy" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy</a>, also an SPN member, to host and organize two “energy roundtables” a year — one before the Heritage Foundation’s annual Resource Bank meeting, and the other before SPN’s annual fall meeting. (Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy GPR, November 10, 2015)The $50,000-per-year grant from Bradley for the meetings was matched “by staff arrangement” by the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Consumer_Energy_Alliance" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">C</a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Consumer_Energy_Alliance" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">onsumer Energy Alliance</a> (CEA), a front group for the energy industry that promotes fossil fuel development and opposes efforts to regulate its activities.“Planned and put on in close cooperation with the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the roundtables allow state think tanks to better promote free-market energy and environmental policies,” one document states. (Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy GPR, November 12, 2013)Attendance has been high at the roundtables, with as many as “67 SPN leaders” attending the event in Denver in September 2014. The agenda for that meeting details presentations from a number of fossil fuel lovers including: Artic Power, Consumer Energy Alliance, Vital for Colorado, Devon Energy, GOPAC (a political action committee that backs and trains Republican candidates), and Freedom Partners. Freedom Partners, a funding conduit for the billionaire Koch brothers, delivered a talk on “Messaging and State Action.” (Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy GPR, November 11, 2014)<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">BRADLEY GRANTEES WORKED TOGETHER TO DEFEAT LOCAL REGULATIONS ON FRACKING IN COLORADO</h2>In 2014, the Independence Institute and Berman’s Big Green Radicals worked in lockstep in Colorado to defeat local fracking bans, such as the one that passed by ballot measure in Longmont in November of 2013. A 2015 Bradley backgrounder on the Independence Institute praises the anti-fracking work of Independence Institute’s Energy Policy Center, saying, “It has also been a key coalition partner in the movement to stop local and statewide bans on hydraulic fracturing. Last year, current Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper crafted a delicately balanced compromise on local control of oil and gas drilling that removed all initiatives on the issue from the state ballot.”Berman’s Big Green Radicals rolled out an attack campaign to discredit anti-fracking efforts in the state in May of 2014. Big Green Radicals <a href="https://www.biggreenradicals.com/colorado/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;">asserted</a>that “extreme groups, mostly based far from Colorado in San Francisco, New York, or Washington D.C., are spending millions and spreading their anti-science message to scare voters into approving ballot measures in November to send the oil and gas industry (and the jobs and affordable energy it provides) packing from the Centennial State.”The efforts by these two groups were successful in overturning local fracking bans. Bradley agreed and decreased its funding recommendation for EPC to $25,000 in 2016, saying, “it is unlikely that there will be any significant developments for EPC in the upcoming months, and therefore staff believes this reduced award is important.”It is uncertain where the next battleground for energy development will be for Bradley, but the documents demonstrate that they have the funds to bankroll infrastructure in place to discredit climate science and smear the opposition.<h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase;">OTHER NOTABLE BRADLEY GRANTS</h2>Other significant Bradley grants to support fossil fuel development or dispute climate science in recent years include:<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$150,000 to Opportunity Ohio for “program activities.” (2016)</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$100,000 to Energy and Environment Legal Institute for “transparency practice general.” (2016) HORNER SCHNARE</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$20,000 to Foundation for Research on Economics & the Environment for “general operations.” (2016)</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$200,000 to Competitive Enterprise Institute for “general operations” and “litigation.” (2013, 2015)</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$100,000 to The Sand County Foundation for “energy resource development.” (2014)</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$100,000 to National Center for Policy Analysis for “general operations.” (2014)</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; list-style-type: initial; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">$20,000 to Foundation for Research on Economics & the Environment for “general operations.” (2014)</li></ul></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div></div><div>===</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>