Energy Tomorrow Blog
Natural Gas and Oil are Building a Brighter Future for All
colorado consumers jobs oil and natural gas fracking
Mike Sommers
Posted March 9, 2020
From recent remarks to a meeting of the Aurora, Colorado, Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Business Roundtable.
The Aurora Chamber aspires to be a catalyst, convener and champion of the Aurora business community. That caught my attention because at API, we see ourselves in much the same way, especially now, when the State of American Energy is one of leadership. America is the global leader in energy development, carbon emissions reductions and environmental performance.
Our industry is built on the catalysts who meet the world’s ever-growing energy demand, conveners who address the risks of climate change, and champions who promote all the Americans working 10.9 million jobs supported by the natural gas and oil industry.
For NEPA Reform in Colorado & Across the U.S.
environmental review infrastructure colorado pipeline expansion
Sam Winstel
Posted February 12, 2020
You won’t find better examples of how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has blocked much-needed infrastructure than in Colorado – where the first of two public hearings on implementing the regulation was held this week.
Numerous projects in Colorado have been – or are currently – on-hold due to NEPA reviews, including the Interstate-70 widening near Denver that will deliver much-needed safety and capacity improvements for drivers. The Environmental Impact Statement for this highway took 13 years to complete and totaled nearly 16,000 pages, finally receiving construction approval in 2017.
SOAE 2020: This is Aurora
colorado economic growth oil and natural gas development
Mark Green
Posted January 24, 2020
There might not be a better example of the broad, empowering effects of abundant U.S. natural gas and oil than Aurora, Colorado. The city has emerged from Denver’s shadow on the strength of more than a dozen thriving business sectors – with energy underlying growth. It’s why API’s 2020 State of American Energy report profiled Aurora and six other communities to show how natural gas and oil are fundamental to economic expansion, job creation and rising opportunity across the U.S.
Kevin Hougen, Aurora Chamber of Commerce president, describes the city as diverse culturally and in industry, which is attracting new people from a range of career paths, from bio-science and healthcare to cybersecurity, aerospace and the military.
For Public Health, Safe Operations in Colorado – And Everywhere
colorado safe operations industry standards regulation emission reductions
Mark Green
Posted October 18, 2019
There’s nothing more important to our industry than protecting health and safety – of our skilled workers and the communities where they are engaged in supplying Americans with affordable energy for every aspect of modern life and economic well-being.
As energy companies, we know that maintaining the public’s trust and the permission to operate hinge on our ability to work safely and responsibly – caring for the environment, reducing our footprint and continually improving technologies and operations to reduce emissions.
This is the context as we consider a new report on the potential public health effects of natural gas and oil operations by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), using 2015 data to model impacts.
Seventh Local Ban on Natural Gas and Oil Raises Uncertainty in Colorado
colorado regulation economic impacts oil and natural gas development
Mark Green
Posted May 30, 2019
A new Colorado law handing more control over natural gas and oil operations to municipalities, authority that used to reside with the state, risks another law – the law of unintended consequences – that could deal a serious blow to one of our country’s leading energy-producing states.
This week the city of Broomfield became the seventh Colorado community to impose a ban on new natural gas and oil development since introduction of Senate Bill 181, which became law last month. …
Before SB 181’s passage, industry warned the law could disrupt responsible natural gas and oil development by hatching a patchwork, unpredictable regulatory system across the state – with the unintended consequence of imperiling energy development and jobs and economic growth. Regulatory uncertainty can chill sizeable investments in new operations that often have significant lead times
Unfortunately, that uncertainty appears to be growing in Colorado – with national implications because the state ranks sixth in both natural gas and oil production.
New Colorado Regulatory Push Could Again Imperil State Jobs, Economy
colorado regulation oil and natural gas economic impacts
Mark Green
Posted March 20, 2019
Though Colorado has set the gold standard for state regulation of natural gas and oil, some don’t think that’s enough.
Opponents of oil and natural gas are pushing state legislation to let local governments have regulatory authority over industry – “local control” – which in other states has been a way to curtail energy development. If enacted in a state that ranks top 10 in the country in natural gas and oil production, it could have big negative impacts for the state and nation.
Colorado's Vote For Colorado Energy
colorado vote economic growth oil and natural gas
Mark Green
Posted November 8, 2018
A big shout-out to Colorado’s voters for decisively rejecting a measure that could have significantly stifled new natural gas and oil production in their state – showing that they value energy’s importance to their economy, schools and public services.
Coloradans clearly support responsible development, and Tuesday’s vote signals that going forward, natural gas and oil’s value to Colorado is to be acknowledged as everyone works together to advance energy growth and public health.
Vote Tests Future of Responsible Energy Development in Colorado
colorado oil and natural gas regulation safe operations
Mark Green
Posted November 1, 2018
As Coloradans prepare to vote on an anti-energy measure that could severely damage state natural gas and oil production and stagger the state’s economy, it’s no exaggeration to say the whole nation is watching.
Consider: Proposition 112 would make 85 percent of non-federal land in Colorado – the United States’ sixth-leading natural gas and oil producer – off limits for new energy production by increasing required setbacks or buffer zones around certain “occupied structures” and “vulnerable areas” by 400 percent over the existing requirement.
Denver Post Editorial: No on Proposition 112
colorado oil and natural gas safe operations jobs economic growth
Mark Green
Posted October 11, 2018
In an editorial this week, Colorado’s largest newspaper announced strong opposition to Proposition 112, the anti-progress, anti-energy ballot measure that could put 85 percent of non-federal land off limits to natural gas and oil production in the nation’s fifth-leading natural gas and seventh-largest oil producing state.
The Denver Post editorial urges voters to vote no on Proposition 112, arguing that requiring natural gas and oil operations to be 2,500 feet from “vulnerable areas” would be a severe blow to state energy production, jobs and economic growth.Colorado Anti-Energy Initiative Looms Large for State, Nation
colorado oil and natural gas production jobs economic growth us energy security
Mark Green
Posted August 30, 2018
A map shows just how much damage could be done to the United States’ fifth-leading natural gas and seventh-largest oil producing state by Colorado’s Initiative 97 – the anti-energy, anti-progress measure that state officials said will be on the November election ballot. Coloradoans and all Americans should be very concerned.
Zeroing in on the state’s top five producing counties (outlined in blue) – Weld in the north on the border with Wyoming, Rio Blanco and Garfield on the western border with Utah, and La Plata and Las Animas on the southern border with New Mexico – the map shows that opportunity for new natural gas and oil development on non-federal land would be all but prohibited.
This is an alarming prospect for all Americans, because we’re talking about putting the brakes on one of the country’s leading and fastest-growing energy producers.