May 16, 2017 09:35 AM UTC

Firestone GOP Lawmakers Plan Oil and Gas Apologetics Tour

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• by: Colorado Pols

Via the Longmont Times-Call’s John Fryar:

State Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, and Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone, are initiating a set of summer “energy summits to address oil and gas pipeline safety,” Marble announced in a news release this morning.

Both lawmakers represent the Firestone area, where a house explosion last month killed two people. Investigators have concluded the explosion was caused by gas that entered the basement through a cut flow line near the home.

After investigators confirmed that the home explosion in Firestone was indeed caused by a disused oil and gas production flowline connected to an improperly shut off well, Democratic representatives from Boulder County introduced House Bill 1372–a bill to require energy companies to map their pipelines, one of the suggestions made by a task force convened by Gov. John Hickenlooper to look at energy policy in the state.

Republicans including Rep. Lori Saine of Firestone opposed this legislation, claiming the bill was “a spiking of the political football.” House Republicans were able to kill HB17-1372 by running out the clock at session’s end before it could reach the Colorado Senate.

With that in mind, these should be lively “energy summits”–assuming real Firestone residents are allowed in.