Colorado Capitol Report

In this Capitol Report:

• To the Barricades: Oil-and-Gas vs. Local Control Ballot Initiative Battles Begin in Earnest
• CACI Interviews New Legislative Candidates, Endorsements to be Announced in Early August
• EPA Carbon Emissions Hearings Present Opportunities to Testify and Rally
• Construction Project Begins on CACI Office

To the Barricades: Oil-and-Gas vs. Local Control Ballot Initiative Battles Begin in Earnest

On Wednesday, Governor John Hickenlooper issued a news media release announcing that he would not call a special session of the Colorado General Assembly to deal with the politically divisive issue of local governmental control of oil-and-gas production.

Here’s the Governor’s news media release:

Gov. Hickenlooper issues statement on special session

DENVER — Wednesday, July 16, 2014 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today released the following statement:

“Over the past several months, we have worked with a bipartisan coalition to explore a legislative compromise that would avoid a series of expensive and divisive ballot initiatives surrounding oil and gas development in Colorado.  Despite our best efforts and those of other willing partners, we have not been able to secure the broader stakeholder support necessary to pass bipartisan legislation in a special session.”

“Although we will not be calling a special session on oil and gas local control legislation, we will continue to work on the underlying issue, building on progress made.”

“Throughout this process people of good will have shared their views and while they have not always agreed with our approach, at no time did we find legislators of either party or stakeholders unwilling to come to the table.”

“Colorado has made tremendous progress through collaboration and compromise to solve many of the issues surrounding oil and gas development. We are leading the way with the nation’s strongest air pollution emissions, the most robust frack fluid disclosure rule and the first direct regulation of methane.  In the last legislative session we significantly increased fines and penalties for violations of environmental and public safety regulations. Colorado is blessed with a rich array of energy resources. We all have an obligation to develop these resources in a way that supports the Colorado economy, respects private property rights and protects our environment.”

“Our thanks to all of those who supported the compromise.  We continue to believe that the right way to solve complex issues like these is through the legislative process and through transparent rule making.

For more on this issue, read:

“Colorado local control special session officially dead: oil and gas fight moves to ballot,” by Ed Sealover, The Denver Business Journal, July 16^th.

“Hickenlooper abandons effort for oil and gas legislative compromise,” by Mark Jaffe, The Denver Post, July 16^th.

“Local control ballot measures continue to prove controversial,” by Peter Marcus, The Colorado Statesman, July 11^th.

CACI Interviews New Legislative Candidates, Endorsements to be Announced in Early August

Over a period of four days, July 8-9 and 15-16, CACI and its members who contributed to CACI’s political committee interviewed new state legislative candidates for endorsement and financial support.

Incumbent legislators running for re-election were not interviewed (since they were originally interviewed when they first ran for the legislature) but have been evaluated based on their voting records and other considerations on key CACI bills during the 2013 and 2014 sessions.

CACI will announce the endorsements following a meeting of the CACI Executive Committee later this month.  The CACI Board approves the slate of incumbent candidates for endorsements, based on the recommendations of the CACI lobbing team.

The Board delegates to the Executive Committee the authority to make the endorsements on new candidates based on the recommendations of the CACI lobbying team and the CACI members who participated in the interviews.

Finally, each candidate may receive up to $400 in financial support from CACI’s political committee, the Colorado Business Political Action Committee.

Following the announcement of the slate of CACI-endorse candidates, the CACI lobbying team will begin walking legislative districts with select candidates to help them with their campaigns.

CACI Interviewed the following Candidates:

EPA Carbon Emissions Hearings Present Opportunities to Testify and Rally

Late this month, businesses and members of the community will have the opportunity to share testimony regarding the EPA’s proposed “existing power plant” carbon-emissions rule.  The EPA will host listening sessions in Denver on July 29^th & 30^th on its proposed emissions reductions plans.  The proposed rule has the potential to affect Colorado businesses, and CACI encourages members to sign up to give testimony here.  Additionally, you can also submit written comments to EPA here, noting Docket ID# EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602.

Although the EPA proposal put forward three potential emissions reductions plans, the most aggressive is the proposed 30 percent reduction by 2030 where states would be given flexibility to determine statewide approaches for:

1. Increasing efficiency of all energy producers,
2. Increasing efficiency of existing power plants,
3. Transitioning power plants from coal to natural gas and
4. Increasing renewables.

Bring the business & industry voice to the table:

July 29^th & 30^th

9am – 8pm, EPA Region 8 Building, 1595 Wynkoop Street

Lunch & dinner breaks will be one hour, from noon-1pm & 5-6pm

Written comments are due by Oct. 16, 2014

*** PLEASE NOTE:  Anyone entering the Region 8 Federal Building will need to pass through a security screening & have ID, while those confirmed for testimony will need to provide two forms of government-issued photo IDs.

Rally to Support Affordable Energy & Strong Economies

Additionally, concerned industry members have planned a rally to coincide with the hearings.  Focused on emphasizing the potential of the rule to increase energy costs, negatively impact jobs and greatly increase red tape on businesses, the rally will take place from noon to 3:00 on July 29^th at Lincoln Park Veteran’s Memorial, located in front of the state capitol building between Lincoln and Broadway.  Speakers will begin at 1:00.

Construction Project Begins on CACI Office

On Monday, July 7^th, construction began on the CACI Office to renovate and expand the space as part of a new lease that CACI has signed with the owner of the building, LBA Realty.

The project will involve the expansion of the Office and the addition of three new individual offices and a small conference room.  The large conference room also will also be expanded.  A new audio-visual system will be installed in the lobby and the large conference room.  Finally, the office will receive new carpeting and paint, among other improvements.

CACI took occupancy of its new office, Suite 1000, the Colorado State Bank Building, at 1600 Broadway, On June 1, 2000.

CACI expects the project to be completed before the Labor Day Weekend.  CACI will notify its members when the project is completed and invite them to stop by and see the new office.