President (To Win Colorado)
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(D) Kamala Harris
(R) Donald Trump
80%↑
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) V. Archuleta
98%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Marshall Dawson
95%
5%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(R) Jeff Hurd
(D) Adam Frisch
50%
50%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert
(D) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Jeff Crank
(D) River Gassen
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
(R) John Fabbricatore
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) B. Pettersen
(R) Sergei Matveyuk
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
52%↑
48%↓
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
August 29, 2016 10:22 AM UTC
41 Comments
Great news.
Let the legislature do its job.
Uhhuuuh . . .
. . . wouldn't you like to see what The Big Line odds of that ever happening might be????
Yes, that is the way to do it…but we have the Koch brother's puppets in the Senate, and Governor Frackenlooper in the Executive who oppose anti fracking efforts…we are once again at the mercy of big oil and gas…
Regardless of disruption efforts, had there been a really strong groundswell of public support the signatures would have materialized. The reality is pro gas, oil and coal mining attitudes are still pretty prevalent in Colorado with most objections being of the NIMBY variety.
I just spit out my coffee. Are you drunk, Barnes?
Bill to weaken renewable energy standards came from ALEC
Grassroots groups didn't have the millions of dollars that the O&G industry has, so the genuine grassroots people couldn't hire thousands of paid petitioners. Instead, they got out and did it all on their own. The "Decline to Sign" drive by O&G goons worked really well, as evil often does in the beginning. O&G has purchased a so-called environmental group to act as cover, purchased a "farmer" to act as a cover, and purchased the Weld County Food Bank to act as a cover. See, if you spew millions and millions of dollars everywhere, you can really get things done–for your own advantage.
True enough but despite all that I still think that support for Big Oil, Gas and Coal is pretty strong and broad in Colorado.
If everything and anything could always be bought by the Kochs and the Bigs, Obama wouldn't have won Colorado and the presidency twice.
It's a huge factor but not the only factor. Don't make the mistake of seeing only the Colorado and Coloradans you want to see.
As to the legislature, they all got elected didn't they? The voters chose them too.
I think you are right about that. So many lies and exaggerations have been pounded into the heads of Coloradans for so long, they believe a LOT of bullshit. I would not underestimate the effect of the campaign against constitutional amendments, either
LloydWorley – your comments on the food bank and 'cover' by farmers reminded me of an diary I wrote on many of these subjects some time back. Weld County is a land of contradictions: incredible wealth and poverty. The extraction industry feels more like a fire sale than a responsible development that builds wealthy and opportunity long-term.
But who do they vote for? How may would sign these petitions? And not just because of Big Money but because "freedom"?
The key to Weld County lies in the Unaffiliated column. (Republicans only compromise 37% of their electorate)
I know several Rs in my subdivision who have a different idea about drilling now that it's happened in their literal backyard. Unfortunately, I never saw a petition my U-self or my R neighbors could sign :(.
Their are naffiliateds and then there are unaffiliateds. I'm guessing most in Weld aren't left leaning.
In Greeley, most of the Us would be left leaning – and that's where Weld's population is concentrated. It's a college town, (UNC) and went overwhelmingly for Bernie. Most of the Greeley Reps are Democrats. But even the Democrats owe their souls to gas and oil.
In rural Weld county, which as MB reminds us is kind of feudal, with a few very rich folks but most barely making it, most of the U's are righties. Trump supporters like the big landowner Cervis and Ken Buck. This year, registered Republicans outnumber Unaffiliateds 55K to 51K, with Dems coming in a distant 3rd at 33K, and the fringe parties making up the rest.
The Secretary of States office has a new interactive map tool to play with, but their voter stats are still in the old stodgy tables as well.
Even with Greeley, Weld isn't exactly a blue haven.
Lloyd, I was fortunate enough to have met your wife, * and, I think i even met you, when I lived in Greeley and worked with Weld Air and water. I have nothing but admiration for you Worleys – I've seen you stand up in meetings and demand to be heard. You are truly the one of the voices of sanity, in the belly of the fracking beast in Greeley.
I know that you both were getting signatures on these petitions, and the fact that two staunch elders like you were bullied and disrespected and outmaneuvered by these "Decline to Sign" O&G shills is fricking shameful. I wish I could have done more to help. I don't know where we go from here.
We lost this battle, but the war goes on.
*she might remember that tall teacher lady who went to a few WAW meetings and events, and walked out of one COGA event with her.
It's actually a lucky break for the left. These jihadist measures were so extreme that
they would have precluded oil ands development in 90 percent of Colorado. The industry would have poured millions into negative ads to beat them. In the process, they might have created a vote no wave that would have crushed lightly funded but worthwhile initiatives like minimum wage and death with dignity. Of course, there will still be a cataract of ads to defeat 69 but with only one negative campaign, there is less danger of an overall vote no wave.
I'm sorry, but this is just bullshit and most of the people I've heard say it work for the industry.
I'm not saying you do, but I don't buy that shit for a minute. Bring their fucking ads on.
No need, since you've screwed up again and failed to make the ballot. A
s it is, worry about surviving the anti-69 tidal wave, now led by NARAL, PN, the Building trades any many other left groups the insurance industry will put up front in their ads… "Even the left-wing "Progress Now" can't stomach the too-extreme for Colorado $25 billion tax increase called Amendment 69…"
And while I don't work for the industry I do own a farm in Phillips County which would have lost every inch of its mineral rights if your half-mile setback had passed. Of course, I would have joined a federal "takings" lawsuit and might have won more in court than I'd ever get from gas in the current depressed market. On this one, BS, be happy the left can't count.
Congratulations to you on being in that very unique, and enviable, position in Colorado of having a say in both your property's surface and mineral rights. Unlike the majority of us, you have a voice and can choose the placement and the amount to which you will allow your property's surface to be exploited and degraded. You can also choose and negotiate your own setbacks.
If it weren't for the truly messed up situation that most surface rights owners without mineral rights find themselves — and the "takings" that mineral rights owners of exercise daily at the expense of these surface holder's property values in Colorado, I rather doubt that these issues would be nearly so fractious.
I'm unusual in that I live in a typical subdivision and own both the surface and subsurface rights. I can't stop myself from being force-pooled. I can't control the placement of wells. As I've mentioned before, there are three nine-well pads within 2,500' of my house, two of which have been drilled, fracked, and are being completed after I moved in. For my trouble I've received roughly $10 from my fractional interest in the play.
I couldn't control the release of either chemicals or hydrocarbons which led me to have to stop spending time in my yard for a week because they triggered my asthma. Fortunately, CDPHE was on hand to provide me with a brochure telling me to see my physician. I couldn't control the noise coming from the well operation that decided to start up before they had done required sound mitigation for their 24/7 work. Of course, COGCC was quick to note their violation.
Owning property above and below doesn't help. The only thing that helps is owning enough that you can set the terms. Interesting how much we love property rights in this country, but how particular we are about enforcing them.
Actually, Psuedo, there is a fool proof method to keep the O&G companies completely off your land. I had a friend in Garfield county, an attorney, who owned several hundred acres and had enough money to form his own exploration company and leased his minerals to himself. No one sets foot on his land without his permission.
or just don't lease your rights in the first place. Ours are not currently leased, mainly because the last offer was too low.
You are among countless land/mineral owners who mistakenly believe that your surface right protects your mineral right from development. You can easily be force pooled by being included in a "unit", designed jointly by the industry, the COGCC, and the BLM (which, in Colorado stands for , "the Bureau of Leasing Minerals"), in which you can be involuntarily included. Once you have been sent to a unit, your rights are forfeit.
Another thing I think many, particularly conservative types, are missing, V., is the application of the definition of "conservation" as defined in the mission of and practiced by the COGCC
The directive given to the agency by statute is to conserve the value of the minerals for the benefit of the citizens of the state by way of the collection of "severance taxes", to be paid by those profiting from said removal. This has been construed to mean, don't leave a drop in the ground, and collect every penny of taxes…..the first of which is a high priority for (FOFs…Friends of Frackenlooper, that is), the second…not so much. The much loved Ad Valorem tax credit, a case in point.
read psudy, duke. Yes,1/6 acre can be pooled. Ours is a quarter section — yes, very small as a farm but we can't be pooled and nothing goes on our land without our permission.
I don't believe you…. prove it. I am ready to be schooled here…what you got?
I hate to tell you duke but the burden of proof is strictly on you to prove you know more about my land than I do. You are grasping at straws.
Nah….I have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. You can only say one of those things.
I hope the bulldozer never shows up at your gate uninvited. When it does, you will have no recourse, except to sue…an oil company.
Until you have seen the film I recommended, V., you have no idea how misguided you are. As I said, I am certainly willing to be educated, but I have been at this for 12 years. If things have changed…great. If they have not…I hope you never have to face them.
CRS 34-60-116. Drilling units – pooling interests
(1) To prevent or to assist in preventing waste, to avoid the drilling of unnecessary wells, or to protect correlative rights, the commission, upon its own motion or on a proper application of an interested party, but after notice and hearing as provided in this section, has the power to establish drilling units of specified and approximately uniform size and shape covering any pool.
(6) When two or more separately owned tracts are embraced within a drilling unit, or when there are separately owned interests in all or a part of the drilling unit, then persons owning such interests may pool their interests for the development and operation of the drilling unit. In the absence of voluntary pooling, the commission, upon the application of any interested person, may enter an order pooling all interests in the drilling unit for the development and operation thereof.
From the lips of the beast itself (DGS law firm):
As to each non-consenting owner who refuses to bear its share of costs, the order shall provide for reimbursement of costs to the consenting owners
INVOLUNTARY POOLING NON-CONSENT PENALTY
– 100% of surface equipment beyond wellhead and operations
– 200% of drilling costs
That's the "owning enough to set the terms" part. I own 1/6 of an acre, and there's nothing I could have done to avoid being forced into having drilling done under or around me.
I spoke with a few residents of the Greeley area who were force-pooled. They knew of others who barely knew English, but had small acreages and houses. These residents were given the choice between signing (for a monetary gain of around $60) or being sued for $600 by the mineral rights owner. It happens.
hardly unique. I think the split estate issue is pretty well limited to city folks, Dio.
You could not possibly be more wrong V.
I encourage you to find and watch the film, "Split Estate". You will find that almost all the affected people in Garfield County were country folk.
ROFL
Oh,
yeDuke of little faith . . .. . . odds are he'll be dishing up "more wrong" at least thrice before the sun sets!
ps. Prepare yourself for a wordy tangential attack on your misuse of the term "country folk" . . .
Yeah…you got me there..
. I'll have a shot of Bushmills and get ready.
sorry, I forgot that yuppie stockbrokers who own vacation homes are actually all horny handed sons of the soil. My bad.
You don't honestly think this description
describes most people, besides fourth generation farmers, who live in rural areas? You seem to have no idea how places like the Divide Creek area in Garfield county are settled. Ranchers sold off their land in small parcels and got rich while the realtors who got rich selling and representing buyers of their land neglected to mention the ramifications of NOT owning their minerals. Most were told, if they had enough smarts to ask, "No, they are not likely to drill around here." Now the rich ranchers expect them to lose the value of the land they paid him for, so he can get even richer…while they lose everything.
By the time they realized they were trapped…it was too late.
It was only recently that realtors began to be held to a requirement to mention it
Of course he believes this. #FueledByKoch