Yesterday, right-wing news site Breitbart.com released a new video from conservative “gotcha” artist James O’Keefe, purportedly showing how easy it is for “non-citizens” to vote:

In the video, William Romero, an apparent non-citizen, is shown to be registered to vote in North Carolina. According to jury refusal records obtained by Project Veritas, Romero was recused for being a non-citizen. Yet when a researcher from Project Veritas went into the polling station, he found that not only was Romero still on the voting rolls but  the poll workers were also more than willing to give him Romero’s ballot.The video finds that another alleged non-citizen in Durham County, North Carolina, was on the voter rolls–and apparently voted in 2008 and 2010–even though he had been categorized as “code 7″ in jury recusal forms, which means he had been excused as a non-citizen.

In another crucial swing state, Florida, elections officials fear as many as 180,000 non-citizens may be registered to vote. In Colorado, during the 2010 midterm elections, 5,000 non-citizens may have voted…

As you know, we (and others) have repeatedly debunked this persistent claim that “5,000 noncitizens may have voted” in the 2010 elections in Colorado. The claim originates with Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler, who used this figure in congressional testimony, but it doesn’t stand up to even casual scrutiny. As we noted and local media outlets realized last year, over thirty thousand Colorado residents became citizens during the period Gessler “analyzed,” enough to easily account for the 5,000 “noncitizens” who “may” have voted in 2010.

As liberal blog Think Progress reports, O’Keefe appears to have made exactly the same error.

Read the rest at ColoradoPols.com

Truth is closing in on Gessler's lack of proof.

Gessler’s been at this scam for some time – at least since early 2010 – and he’s got a lot of Old Guard money in his pocket so this, to me, sure looks like what they want.

Technorati Tags: longmont, longmont politics, political news, politics, registration, Scott Gessler, voter

Our homes and safety are being hijacked

How did we get here?   As a nation, a state, a community, how did we get here?

How did we lose so much of our humanity that we would by word and deed and law allow the profit of the few to trump the genuine needs of the many?

How did we get to the point where our President listens to an industry and apparently accepts their lies, their propaganda, or perhaps just doesn’t want to be crosswise with it and those with whom it has sway during an election year?

How did we get to the point where our Colorado legislature allows an industry to write legislation with the likely help of organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council?  I ponder the word “exchange” in its name.  In exchange for what?

How did we get to the point where our governor, elected to represent all of the people, runs interference against communities who DO want to protect the health, safety and welfare of their citizens?

How did we get to the point where our Attorney General in collusion with the oil and gas industry threatens legal action against communities who dare to seek to preserve our quality of life, paramount of which is our health?  Do you know that the oil and gas industry has threatened to bankrupt communities who don’t fall in line?  It will not surprise me when they try to do the same to Longmont, even in the face very tepid regulations.

How did we get to the point where members of our own city council value business above all else?

When did we lose our humanity?

Technorati Tags: American Legislative Exchange Council, Colorado governor, Colorado legislature, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, longmont, Longmont City Council, longmont politics, oil and gas drilling-Longmont, President Obama

Boulder, Colorado – In spite of the rejection of revised policies regarding inclusion of LGBTQ individuals voted on last week by the international gathering of United Methodists in Tampa, Florida, a local congregation is vowing to move forward on its own path of inclusion and social justice.

First United Methodist Church of Boulder is a welcoming faith community dedicated to “honoring the sacred worth of every human being in a way that creates and sustains a Beloved Community.”   Both the appointed pastors and the lay members of the congregation affirm that they are among the people following the path of Jesus and of Methodist founder John Wesley by welcoming everyone into their midst, stating that they are enriched, as individuals and as a community, when diversity is honored, welcomed and celebrated.

“It’s heart-breaking what happened – or more accurately, didn’t happen – in Tampa this week,” senior pastor Dr. Patrick Bruns stated following several votes which rejected efforts to open up institutional church policies to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in full acceptance and participation in the church.  “But I am reassuring our congregation and the Boulder community that those votes were far from the final word.  Our commitment to following Jesus’ Path has been called out even stronger and we plan even more energetically to pursue bold action, non-violent resistance, and courageous commitment to love, justice and peacemaking.”

Rev. Bruns made news recently by declaring that he and the other pastors at First United Methodist Church of Boulder were prepared to offer church ceremonies for committed and consenting adult life partners, regardless of their gender.  Referring to a broadly supported “Fuller Marriage Ministry” that offers ceremonies and holy unions for same-sex couples, the pastors and congregation recently notified their local Bishop of their intention to move forward in this ministry regardless of church policies to the contrary.

“It has been a unifying and energizing experience in our congregation to have leaders who are so committed to social justice and inclusivity,” noted Becca Tice, chairperson of the Affirming and Welcoming Committee which promotes the full inclusion of the LGBTQ community within the church.  “We won’t pretend that this week’s votes weren’t enormously disappointing but we don’t intend to be defined, defeated or deterred by those votes.”

United Methodists from around the globe gather every four years to consider changes to their Book of Discipline which serves as both “Constitution” and more specific, practical guidebook for how the church is to be run.  Policies detrimental and discriminatory to lesbian and gay individuals have been included in the Book of Discipline since the early 1970s but the actual implementation of policies, in practice, has varied from state to state and country to country.

Closer to home, United Methodists in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming (known as the Rocky Mountain Conference) will gather for their annual conference in Denver about six weeks from now.  Decisions made by the international conference likely will be fodder for both formal and informal discussion at that conference.  Many local individuals already are contemplating actions to express their grave disappointment and disapproval of the votes by the international body and considering ways to bring about future changes.

“We honor and respect the tremendous good work which the United Methodist Church has accomplished in so many ways since its beginning in the 18^th century,” said Justin Livingston, Chair of Church Council. “We believe our world needs more instruments of God’s love, grace, and justice, not fewer, and that’s why we will continue to embrace everyone as welcomed participants in God’s family as we experience it at First United Methodist Church of Boulder.”

What does it mean to ‘rethink church’?  Come and see for yourself.

Technorati Tags: Boulder, Colorado, lgbtq, longmont, longmont politics, marriage, methodists, politics

Ella’s Walk

CALLING ALL CANINES AND COMPANIONS:  Longmont Humane Society and our host, Dave Delozier, Photojournalist of Channel 9 News, invite all two-legged and four-legged friends for a day of fun and fund-raising for the homeless animals of the Longmont Humane Society. Ella’s Walk: In memory of Meredith Hope Emerson, is a family-friendly fundraiser that is sure to make tails wag!

Support the animals by creating a team or registering as an individual and start collecting pledges from friends and family. Create your own webpage at www.longmonthumane.org and start earning amazing prizes!

Registration begins at 8:30 am with a continental breakfast at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, Picnic Area from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.  The three-mile walk will begin at 9:30 am; circling through Rogers Grove and Golden Ponds then back to the Fairgrounds.

Following the walk, Mutt Main Street Festival opens to offer the following:

• Dog-tastic demonstrations, live music, and over 30 pet-friendly merchants.
• Food and drink offerings featuring Lefthand Brewing Company.
• Tons of kid-friendly activities.
• Canine Good Citizen testing allowing dogs and their owners the opportunity to demonstrate their good manners.
• Low-cost micro chipping and nail trimming.
• Special event features include a canine flash mob performance, canine DNA testing, adoptable pet parade, pet-friendly photo booth and more.

Don’t delay; begin collecting pledges today! Register online for free at www.longmonthumane.org or call 303-772-1232 ext. 286.

All proceeds from this event benefit the homeless animals at the Longmont Humane Society.

Taking with both hands

We just received word that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is making a stop near Fort Lupton tomorrow morning (Wednesday). Romney will reportedly give a speech at an oil drilling facility northwest of town at 10AM.

It’s terribly short notice, but we need you to join us tomorrow morning to counter Romney’s visit.

K P Kauffman Company Inc.
10137 County Road 19, Fort Lupton
Click here for a Google map

For months, Romney and his right-wing allies have claimed that energy production in America is being “held back.” But it’s not true: domestic oil and gas production is actually at its highest level in years, and America even exported refined petroleum products last year.

Rather than calling for responsible development of our natural resources, Romney and his friends in the energy industry are pushing for an irresponsible rollback of environmental and health protections for citizens who live near energy production.

Don’t let Mitt Romney frack our future: join us tomorrow in Fort Lupton.

We’ll have “Romney in the Tank for Big Oil” signs for everyone, or bring your own! And above all, thank you for standing up at a moment’s notice for Colorado’s clean air and water.

I’m also an avid skier, to put it mildly; my wife would tell you it is more like addicted. So, I’m am keenly aware of the situation in the central Colorado mountains (Summit county especially) in the winters.

One excellent source for information about the snow pack in Colorado is the “snotel” site maintained by the Department of Agriculture folks in Lakewood – Snowpack Summary graph. It is one ski industry standard sources of data about the status of the snowpack in the state. It is updated every federal business day.

I had the April 17th graph. It showed the average, that of last year (which was a record big snowfall,) and that of this year – which is a record small snowfall. The percentage of normal, as of that date, was 40%.

Since then, that has fallen to something in the 25% to 27% range. That situation has already triggered Denver Water to issue restrictions. Boulder might soon. I know a City of Ft Collins planner who is very concerned about the impact in Larimer county.

In considering the regulation of fracking, which consumes significant amounts of water, the availability of water is a major concern!

From year to year, now days, it seems that the variability in snow pack, and so water, has become large; frighteningly so Some years may be OK, a few great, and some, like the snow season we just didn’t really have.

It is really kind of like a flood plain risk. In the case of water, what are the odds of two or three tiny years in a row? At what point is there not enough water for the residents, and everybody the City of Longmont water servers?

Who knows, Longmont itself may well have to end up going on water restrictions before the summer out. This could, sadly, get fairly ugly quickly.

The other point I made to Council was that Longmont is home to major high tech companies; it has been since IBM moved in down The Diagonal in the 1965. If the situation with the water is adversely impacted by fracking, that is not good. If the fracking causes air pollution that ruins the quality of life, that is not good(!) Part of what makes Longmont very desirable to high tech is the quality of life here; it is both a brand, and a lived reality.

Longmont could end up trading a set of long term, high paying jobs for a set of temporary, not that high paying jobs.  (and make no mistake, the oil industry is a “come, exploit, leave” kind of deal!)

That’s would be a simply stupid choice!

Technorati Tags: drilling, fracking, gas, longmont, longmont politics, oil, politics, regulation, shortage, snowpack, water

Where's council? Might as well not be there.

Mayor Coombs and fellow Councillors:

Council, you (with the notable exception of Sarah Levinson) have lost my trust. I doubt that I’m alone in suggesting that you have betrayed your fellow citizens with your pusillanimous decision to follow a staff recommendation offering compromise and “Fast Track” permits to the oil and gas boys instead of approving an extended 6 month moratorium.

Week after week your Tuesday chamber was filled with your constituents pleading for time. How many from without the industry appeared before you in support of OCGCC regulations? None that I saw or heard.

Did those who appeared before you represent a majority of your constituents? Yes. Did you respond to their passions? No. You told them to go to hell, just as the COGCC told you a week ago when rejecting your proffers of appeasement.

Ex-City Manager Pedrow, once out of office, suggested you take a stand and fight. Instead you have chosen what you thought to be a compromise and have been solidly kicked in the butt.

Big Oil & Gas has threatened you with virtual bankruptcy if you choose to fight what at best was a modest proposal for modification of existing OCGCC standards. Offering such insulting defenses as “the state’s robust regulatory framework”- (a damned lie if ever there was one) their intention is obvious: Kill any and every effort of modification lest it spread to other communities.

You’ve been told to be good boys and girls or else; so exactly what do you now propose? More conciliation? More tinkering around the edges?

Will you forgive and offer a permit to that paragon of corporate citizenry TOP drilling which has been and still is “remediating” the benzene problem at Trail Ridge school whilst ignoring the robust discipline of the COGCC since 2009? Does their application for more drilling permits not concern you? Exactly what in hell does it take to persuade you that you are on the wrong track?

I have a suggestion. How about taking a step back and re-visiting the proposal to extend the moratorium for another 6 months? Much is happening at every level of government and within that time frame anything decided today may well appear foolish tomorrow.

It takes gonads to admit error and great political courage to stand for your constituents against the pressure of campaign dollars from entities such as Big Oil & Gas. The accusation that some of you have been so influenced has been made; please show us that those accusations are incorrect.

Why not begin a robust campaign to enlist all Front Range communities from Trinidad to Fort Collins in a concentrated effort to change state law? It may take one year or ten but this issue will never be decided at the municipal level, so face reality and work to undo what was undoubtedly a corrupt process.

Ask yourselves how it came to be that an entity such as the COGCC was given the right to tell a municipality that their regulations could be pre-empted and then answer the question without thinking of campaign dollars. The deal stank then and continues to stink- and you know it.

Thus far, Council, you appear weak, fragile and timid. For God’s sake step up to the plate and start batting! You were elected to lead, so start leading.

Fracking within our community is likely the biggest and most dominant issue you as council will ever face; that is until you are up for re-election. What you do in the coming weeks will be long remembered. To paraphrase JFK: “Think not what you can do for your political future but what you can do for Longmont”.

Technorati Tags: bagley, Coombs, drilling, finley, fracking, gas, Levison, longmont, longmont politics, moratorium, oil, permits, politics, sammoury, Santos, witt

The price of Afghanistan

Lt. Colonel Daniel L. Davis wrote an article, “Truth, lies and Afghanistan: How military leaders have let us down“, in a recent issue of the Armed Forces Journal. The article summarized some material from a longer classified report he provided to several members of Congress.

Davis’ article is incredibly important as it sets the record straight on the ongoing disaster in Afghanistan as well as pointing out the huge disinformation campaign being waged by the military, politicians and the corporate-dominated media.

According to his article, Davis interviewed or had conversations with more than 250 soldiers in the field, from the lowest-ranking 19-year-old private to division commanders and staff members at every echelon. He also said he spoke at length with Afghan security officials, Afghan civilians and a few village elders. These conversations took place over a twelve-month period, mostly in 2011, during which Davis traveled over 9000 miles throughout Afghanistan.

Davis said that what he saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders about conditions on the ground. Instead, he said he witnessed the absence of success on virtually every level.

Davis concluded his article by saying:

“When it comes to deciding what matters are worth plunging our nation into war and which are not, our senior leaders owe it to the nation and to the uniformed members to be candid — graphically, if necessary — in telling them what’s at stake and how expensive potential success is likely to be. U.S. citizens and their elected representatives can decide if the risk to blood and treasure is worth it.

“Likewise when having to decide whether to continue a war, alter its aims or to close off a campaign that cannot be won at an acceptable price, our senior leaders have an obligation to tell Congress and American people the unvarnished truth and let the people decide what course of action to choose. That is the very essence of civilian control of the military. The American people deserve better than what they’ve gotten from their senior uniformed leaders over the last number of years. Simply telling the truth would be a good start.”

For another vital but seldom-heard perspective on the impacts of the failed U.S.-led occupation of Afghanistan, visit http://vcnv.org/afghan-screams-aren-t-heard. This link provides information about the impacts of war from the perspective of Afghani civilians.

Technorati Tags: afghanistan, leader, longmont, longmont politics, military, politics, war

Large-format envelope, they paid extra for this middle finger.

containing a low-grade laserprinted color poster:

COMPLIMENTS OF MILE-HI SKYDIVING CENTER HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

and a crude, cheaply-made bumper sticker:

I LOVE AIRPLANE NOISE

Nothing says ‘little town’ more viciously than immature thugs with money and idle time.

The thing is, they seem to spend their time and money (but not much) doing ‘pranks’*** when they really need to be working more on their safety record:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have to say, from a personal point of view, this information does not inspire respect in me.

In fact, something like this, in my opinion, has the aspect of an upraised middle finger.

Longmont, every time you hear that loud droning remember: you “love airplane noise.”

Get used to more of it.

All the time.

Every day.

And night.

Technorati Tags: bumpersticker, CARE, kimberly gibbs, longmont, longmont politics, middle finger, mile high skydiving center, noise, politics

I would like to see the following provisions become part of the city’s regulation of fracking wells and other wells.

1) RESTORE THE PROVISION REQUIRING CLOSED PITS.
Open pits are a source of contamination, both through evaporation (airborne contaminants), and through undue exposure to animals and, potentially, children on nearby playgrounds. A CLOSED SYSTEM WOULD BE BEST.

2) INCORPORATE THE NEW EPA REGULATIONS ON METHANE CONTAMINATION. The EPA has just issued new regulations regarding methane leakage in fracked wells. The city should require that any wells drilled now should be in conformity to these new regulations, since the new wells will be operating when the EPA regulations go into effect.

3) DO NOT ALLOW THE OPERATION OF WELLS DURING A DROUGHT. The state already has a mechanism for declaring a state of drought, and it should be strictly observed.

4) MONITOR SMOG POLLUTION, INCLUDING ADVANCE TESTING TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE.
The city should require testing using the new technique just published by NOAA, which is able to differentiate sources of smog pollution. There should be a baseline test of Longmont’s air quality at the present time, before the moratorium is lifted, and future tests should be measured against it. I am especially concerned about the numerous medical studies published by a variety of sources–easily found with an Internet search–that show strong links between smog and an increase in asthma, stroke, and heart attacks. The recent study in Erie that commented on 10 minutes of exposure is ridiculous. If there are wells, there is going to be chronic exposure. The studies of the effects of chronic exposure to smog need a detailed review and the city needs to fund its own monitoring of smog.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. I look forward to seeing these important elements of regulation incorporated into the City of Longmont regulations.

Technorati Tags: closed loop systems, Colorado drought, drilling moratorium, EPA methane regulations, fracking, fracking and health, fracking and water, hydraulic fracturing, longmont, Longmont City Council, Longmont oil and gas drilling regulations, longmont politics, NOAA, oil an gas drilling regulations, oil and gas drilling, oil and gas drilling-Longmont, open pits, smog pollution

Garry Sanfacon, District 1 Boulder County Commissioner candidate

Boulder County, CO, May 2, 2012 – Garry Sanfaçon, candidate for County Commissioner (District 1), is hosting two roundtable events to bring residents together to craft our shared vision for the desirable future of Boulder County. There will be a roundtable in Boulder on May 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Unity of Boulder, located at 2855 Folsom St. and another in Longmont on May 15, 6:30-8:30, at the Longmont Public Library.

“For more than 40 years, Boulder County’s leaders have boldly marched to the beat of their own drum, and today Boulder County residents rank among the healthiest and happiest in the nation,” said Sanfaçon. “But we have social, economic and environmental challenges to address,” he said, “and it’s time to renew our vision.”

As Boulder County’s leaders were faced with decisions about growth management decades ago, they bucked the trend for sprawl and launched a vision to protect the natural environment in which we live, preserving vistas, acquiring open space, funneling growth into urban areas, and keeping rural areas rural. It has come, to a large extent, to define us as a county.

We owe our special quality of life to Boulder County’s rich history of visionary thinkers. You and I are the stewards of that legacy. Today, Boulder County is under pressure to conform to the status quo, and it is incumbent upon us to continue to build on that visionary leadership, from elected officials and citizens alike, to leave a legacy of our own: a livable, resilient, inclusive and sustainable community for future generations. “Our elected officials can’t shoulder the challenges we face alone,” said Sanfaçon, “it’s going to take all of us coming together as a community to chart a bold course forward to leave a legacy of our own for future generations.”

Technorati Tags: disclosure, fracking, gas, hickenlooper, longmont, oil, politics, Sanfaçon

Tied to the wheel - for life

I wouldn’t want to bore or to lay burdens. I am aware we’ve all got ‘em. But I have one example of business faces that should get some air, while I do.

One of my nieces has 6-month-old fraternal twins. they’ve come down with RSV, a virus I’m told is rather common in preemies (these kids were delivered at 29 weeks gestation). Their mother served in the Air Force, in Afghanistan. During her basic training she fractured her pelvis in two places. The Air Force, bless ‘em, put screws in these. One held, one didn’t. In addition, the young lady is prone to kidney stones, some the size of ping pong balls. She opted not to have her current crop treated in south Asia, fearing an extension of her tour. The stones could not be bombarded with ultrasound thanks to the presence of the twins, conceived within thirty-six hours of her return stateside.

But wait; there’s more. My niece has also developed pericarditis. I am told the condition involves inflammation of the sac around the heart, plus fluid buildup. She would be undergoing proper treatment were it not for the RSV, which had one twin in a pediatric intensive-care unit for a week. The other, still at “home,” kept my wife’s sister up all night while she came down with the stuff; now this little girl has pneumonia. The bounce to look after these two tykes is stunning to watch. It’s given my sister-in-law what the physicians say may be a “nervous breakdown.” It was originally thought she had suffered a stroke. I’ve never put much truck in the “nervous breakdown” diagnosis of anyone. I think it’s a copout. Needless to say, the stress load on grandma has been beyond imagination as she also tries to look after her husband and mother-in-law a thousand miles away. HER husband would not be there, had it not been for yet another egotistical corporate executive who decided to carry a spear for a long-time (but growing “expensive”), loyal, capable, fair managerial employee. Starting to get the picture?

Enter the father of the twins. He has a middle-executive job with a medium-sized new car dealership located in the south metro area. The pressure quickly grew on him to “be there, and produce, or face ‘plan B’.” Three guesses what Plan B is. Here’s a young man struggling to earn something to meet an astronomical hospital bill, who is being torn from helping with the “bounce,” as both parents, two grandmothers, a family friend, a sister, and even an uncle and an aunt try to assist. It really does take a village …

This young father has received a load of dressing-down and a pile of work as his thanks for attempting to look after his family. No sympathy, only “where’s my profit, pilgrim?” Sounding familiar?

When I hear some business claim to be “family friendly” I must assume that means the CEO’s family counts. But not any underling’s. Deal with it, or else.

Damn, am I glad I’m retired. But I bleed for these youngsters. I wonder how much they can take.

Technorati Tags: workplace abuse

FIREHOUSE ART CENTER presents

Circular Paths

An exhibition of new works by Rita Vali, Lynda Ladwig & Monika Edgar

The circle is an object of nature, an idealization of pure mathematics, and a symbol or framework we use to understand and describe our world. Since it is without begining or end it also represents infinity. This simplest of all fitures, finds representation in art across many cultures. In this exhibit, three artists respond to the circle — exploring the circle as a line, as volume, as shape, as metaphor, as symbol, and as an element of pattern.

The circle represents a universal and spiritual relevant paradox – a shape without beginning and without end. It visually describes eternity, the mysterious cycles of existence and the often uncanny circularity of our own lives.

At the Firehouse Art Center from May 11 – June 13.
Opening reception May 11 from 6-9 PM.

Executive Director
Joanna Young

Board of Directors
Vern Seieroe (President) | Tom McCoy (Vice President) | Dwayne Wolff (Secretary)
Stephanie Hilvitz | William “Chi Chi” Ledesma | John Luberger | Sara Sheldon | Tony Umile | Jennifer Engle | Greg Ellis

However, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission reports that between Aug. 28, 2003, and Jan. 5, 2012, there were 427 incidences of groundwater contamination caused by oil and gas wells in Weld County alone. Groundwater contamination of this magnitude definitely poses a threat to drinking water.

A serious, more immediate safety threat Ms. Engelhard fails to mention is the air pollution documented by many new studies being released, such as the 2012 NOAA study demonstrating that, from 200 fracking wells, Erie’s air has more methane, propane and ethane than Houston, Texas. Another recent study (March 2012) by the Colorado School of Public Health at CU concludes that people living within a half-mile of fracking operations are 250 percent more likely to have chronic health impacts and 60 percent more likely to develop cancer mainly from exposure to airborne benzene, a known carcinogen associated with the more modern, “unconventional” fracking.

Fracking is astoundingly exempt from regulation by the EPA, Clean Water Act or Clean Air Act. Ms. Engelhard refers to the fracking her father did “in West Texas 40 years ago,” but this is definitely not your father’s fracking. Modern “unconventional” fracking (less than 10 years old) is considerably different and involves far more health, safety and environmental impacts due to the additional chemicals, newer technology and vastly greater allowable number of wells per pad. A quote Ms. Engelhard uses from the EPA claiming safety around this industrial activity was from 2004, when there was very little information on the impacts of the new “unconventional” fracking.

Technorati Tags: drilling, evidence, frack, gas, longmont, longmont politics, NOAA, oil, politics

Colorado Senate Bill 12-107 sponsored by Senator Morgan Carroll may just pit those two resources against each other.  That shouldn’t be the case.  In Colorado, the clear frontrunner should be water.  Most Coloradans are well aware that we have no water to spare or to waste.  Yet that precious life-sustaining resource is under siege by the oil and gas industry’s drilling and production technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Senate Bill 107 will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 1:30 PM.  You can register your support for the passage of the Water Rights Protection Act here or here.  Your support will indicate the value you place on Colorado’s water and on the health and safety of Coloradans.

The legislative declaration of SB 12-107 states that “energy exploration by means of hydraulic fracturing should be conducted in a responsible way that ensures the safety of Colorado residents and Colorado communities” and that “water quality and an adequate supply of water are essential to Colorado’s economy and are topics of great concern to Colorado’s cities and towns, Colorado’s agricultural economy, and the outdoor recreation and tourism for which Colorado is known across the nation and throughout the world.”

Among the Water Rights Protection Act provisions are a requirement that before drilling commences that the operator provide to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Department of Water Resources a good-faith estimate of where and how the operator intends to acquire the water and a good-faith estimate of the amount of water that will be required for hydraulic fracturing.  After completion the operator is required to report where and how the operator actually acquired the requisite water and the amount of water actually used.

Before an operator is authorized to frack, it must collect water quality samples related to potential impacts from fracking from all active water wells located within one-half mile of the oil and gas well.

The Water Rights Protection Act also provides for water-based setbacks.  An operator will not be allowed to conduct fracking “within one-half mile of any surface water, including a pond, reservoir and other natural or artificial impoundment or stream, ditch or other artificial waterway unless the operator uses a closed-loop system.”  This provision offers some measure of protection for the waterways within Longmont and, of course, Union Reservoir.

The Act also requires that “an operator shall not insert into the ground any quantity of chemicals known to cause or reasonably anticipated to cause cancer,” such as benzene, toluene, ethybenzene, or xylene.

These and the other provisions of the Water Rights Protection Act are common sense requirements to help protect both the quantity and quality of the water we need for survival and are necessary to protect the public’s health and safety.

It only takes a minute or two to let your representatives know that you value Colorado’s water resources and that your health and safety must be protected.

Technorati Tags: cancer-causing fracking chemicals, Colorado Senate Bill 12-107, Colorado water, Colorado Water Rights Protection Act, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, Senator Morgan Carroll, set-backs