Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, today led the fight against new regulations on Colorado’s energy industry by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; regulations many believe are stifling the industry and destroying jobs in Colorado.
“Governor Ritter, through his support of these restrictive rules on Colorado’s energy industry, is driving jobs out of the state,” Gardner said. “He has urged job retention as a part of his economic strategy, yet his administration has written job-killing rules for the oil and gas industry.”
Gardner spoke out against the rules during the hearing on the annual rule review bill, House Bill 1292, by the Joint Committee on Legal Services. Gardner cited recent news reports that up to 50 percent of the state’s oil rigs are currently sitting idle and jobs are being lost at an alarming rate.
“Now is simply not the time to pass regulations that will drive up costs and dampen this industry's to bring more jobs to the state, particularly as energy companies are cutting back across the country”, Gardner said. “I am extremely disappointed that Gov. Ritter has chosen to place the agenda of environmental extremists and his government bureaucrats above the livelihood of the many Coloradans who are employed by the energy sector.”
The amendments which would have repealed the most damaging of the regulations were defeated on a party-line vote. The bill will now head to the full House for consideration. Gardner said that he expects a very spirited debate concerning the regulations on the House floor.
“If this Legislature is serious about protecting Colorado’s economy and keeping jobs in the state, they will stand up to the governor on these job-cutting rules and speak out against their damaging impact on our economy,” Gardner said.
HB 1292 is expected to be heard by the House on Thursday, March 12.
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