Colorado’s oil industry is gearing up for its biggest legislative fight in years due to a bill in the state Legislature that proposes sweeping changes to tighten state regulation of ozone-causing air pollution.
The bill, introduced Friday, April 14, and sponsored by 30 Democrats, would subject new oil wells and natural gas wells to greater scrutiny. Similarly, it would include many pollution sources — factories, backup generators at hotels, dry cleaners and other businesses — in proving that they wouldn’t increase the area’s ozone problems in order to receive construction permits.
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The Colorado Chamber of Commerce, which came out in opposition to the bill hours after it was introduced, has been hearing from trucking companies, bakeries, dry cleaners, hotels and other businesses concerned about what the bill could mean for them, said Loren Furman, president and CEO of the Colorado chamber.