Don’t shoot the messenger, PeakNation™. We have been among the few willing to call BS on Jared Polis’ newfound “willingness” to work with Colorado’s oil and gas industry, a line of work that brings the state a colossal $31.4 billion in annual economic impact.
At the 9NEWS gubernatorial debate in Fort Collins earlier this week, anchor Kyle Clark cut through Polis’ obfuscation. This was the first time a reporter has directly confronted Polis on his plans, and it provided perhaps the most revealing moment in the 2018 Colorado’s governor’s race.
We have transcribed the segment below. No spin required here; just Polis in his own words:
Clark: Now, you do not support this year’s Proposition 112, which has been described as a de facto ban on energy development in Colorado. But seeing how you’ve been on both sides of this issue, would you be willing to say, tonight, that in your entire time as governor, you will never support a de facto ban on oil and gas?
Polis: I’m happy to talk about that, Kyle, because Walker Stapleton spent his time talking about what I don’t believe…
Clark: Could you start with my question and then go to that?
Polis: Yeah. I’ve always supported making sure that local communities have a role at the table in making decisions that affect our neighborhoods, our health and safety… I think people balance these things, at the commissioner level, the city council level… In Weld County, they might make different decisions (than) in Larimer County. It’s very important, when you incorporate any industrial activity into a residential area – it’s not specific to oil and gas – it’s the reason that we have zoning, it’s the reason that we say where roads are and when vehicles can operate. It’s very important for our quality of life in Colorado, and it’s an important issue for our next governor to tackle.
Clark: But the question was, will you pledge tonight, in your entire time as governor, you will never again take the positions that you previously had on energy, that would be a de facto ban?
Polis: No! I’ve been consistent throughout my entire career. Of course I support greater setbacks, unless you have a surface use agreement where the surface owner and the community agree to have it closer. Absolutely, and that’s in place in 99 percent of the drilling operations in Colorado. It’s only when people aren’t getting along that the state needs to play a role in making sure that we look out, yes, for mineral rights owners, but also for people who live on the surface.
This guy is hoodwinking our state. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line. This is bigger than any short-sighted tax increase that the Democrats throw onto our ballots every two years. If Jared Polis becomes governor, hope you stockpiled candles and cash. Energy will be undependable and expensive.