Colorado Petroleum Council: Broomfield City Council moratorium extension shows need for commitment to energy dialogue over delay
202.682.8114 | press@api.org
DENVER, December 3, 2019 – The Colorado Petroleum Council released the following statement from Executive Director Lynn Granger in response to the Broomfield City Council’s decision to extend a moratorium on new natural gas and oil development in the city through at least June 4, 2020:
“Broomfield City Council’s latest moratorium is deeply disappointing. Senate Bill 181 was signed into law on April 16, yet the Council suggests that it needs six months of ‘additional time to finalize proposed regulations and present for public and City Council input.’ As things stand, we are skeptical that the Council plans to finalize its proposed regulations in any reasonable amount of time, despite Colorado courts repeatedly striking down municipal moratoriums in recent years.
“This is particularly discouraging to the women and men in our industry who work each day to prioritize public health and safety. In Broomfield and across Colorado, our operators lead the nation in ensuring that energy development is done safely and responsibly in collaboration with the priorities of Colorado communities.
“We remain hopeful that Broomfield’s new City Council will engage in serious, good faith discussions about its energy future as soon as possible. We have stood ready to do the same since Senate Bill 181 became law, and we remain committed to doing so tonight and into the foreseeable future.”
The Colorado Petroleum Council is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 600 members produce, process and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry supports more than ten million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization. In our first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.