July 18, 2013 02:17 PM UTC

COGCC Director’s Insulting Comments Reminiscent of Wyoming Scandal

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• by: ErnieMo

At an oil and gas industry event earlier this week, Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Director Matt Lepore made what is fast becoming a very controversial claim: only rich people, he said, are concerned about the dangers of fracking.

According to the Coloradoan (http://noconow.co/15De4At), Lepore reportedly said: “If you look at the demographics of anti-fracking activists[…] they are generally affluent enough not to be concerned with the cost of home heating and cooling[.]”

It was quite a statement. Lepore, the head of the state agency that is supposed to oversee oil and gas drilling, has apparently not visited Front Range communities lately. Otherwise he would have known that concerned residents come from all backgrounds, and that their primary concern is not to stop fracking, per se, but rather to restrict its encroachment near their homes, schools and water sources.

Lepore’s comments are reminiscent of former Wyoming Oil and Gas Supervisor Tom Doll. In June 2012 he said that Wyoming residents raising concerns about groundwater contamination in the Pavilion area were motivated by “greed” and the desire for “compensation.” An outcry ensued. Doll resigned.

Residents in Front Range towns near drilling and fracking sites have seen their home values drop and their children impacted by respiratory problems. Can they trust Lepore and his agency to investigate and adjudicate these concerns? And how will the oil industry interpret Lepore’s comments? Do companies have much to fear from state regulators? Wouldn’t we prefer that industry see regulators as tough and impartial?

It remains to be seen if Lepore will suffer the fate of his Wyoming counterpart. He certainly needs to apologize and meet with the Coloradans he insulted. It may take a lot to convince Colorado residents that Lepore can be a fair arbiter of both local concerns and oil industry desires. Remember: Lepore is insulting the very people that he is supposed to protect.

Governor Hickenlooper has been a strong ally of natural gas and other fossil fuel companies in Colorado. The same technologies that are creating a boom in extraction are also taking it to the doorstep of communities and treasured natural areas. To keep the political environment around drilling and fracking from becoming toxic, the Governor needs to show that he cares about striking the right balance. That means he must take a hard look at the latest comments and actions by his COGCC Director, Lepore.

Director Lepore certainly has some explaining to do.