Securing South Metro Denver’s Water Future – With Statewide Support

A guest op-ed by Eric Hecox

A massive shift is underway in how the South Metro Denver area gets its water, with implications for communities across the state.

After decades of drawing down nonrenewable groundwater aquifers, the region of 300,000 people spanning most of Douglas County and some of Arapahoe County is transitioning to sustainable supplies. This provides much-needed security to future generations hoping to call south Denver home.

The Water Infrastructure and Supply Efficiency (WISE) project is a major component of that plan. Underway now, WISE is notable for the first-of-its kind collaboration among the Denver Metro area’s three major water entities and for the unprecedented statewide the project has received.

Taken together, WISE provides a model for the type of regional and statewide cooperation called for in the recently finalized statewide water plan.

WISE is a partnership among Aurora Water, Denver Water and South Metro Water to combine available water supplies and system capacities to create a sustainable new water supply. When water deliveries begin in 2016, Aurora and Denver will provide fully treated water to South Metro Water on a permanent basis. At the same time, Denver Water will receive a new back-up supply, and Aurora Water will receive funding to help offset costs of its Prairie Waters project.

Recently, WISE received financial support from basin roundtables across the state, making it the first water project in Colorado to receive such broad support. The Colorado Water Conservation Board, the state of Colorado’s lead agency on water, also provided grant money in support of the project.

The reason for the statewide support lies in the collaborative approach that has been the hallmark of South Metro’s plans. WISE is widely seen as a way for a growing part of the metro area to cooperatively help solve some of its own water supply issues.

WISE maximizes efficiency of supplies through reuse and reduces the need for future agriculture transfers or trans-mountain diversions. It removes some pressure off irrigated agriculture in the South Platte basin, one of the most highly productive and economically important agriculture regions in Colorado. What’s more, it provides funding to the West Slope for water supply, watershed and water quality projects.

When WISE water deliveries begin in 2016, some of Colorado’s fastest-growing communities will receive a new sustainable water supply. Participating South Metro members include Highlands Ranch (served by Centennial Water), Cottonwood, Dominion, Inverness, Meridian, Parker, Pinery Water, Rangeview, Stonegate and Castle Rock.

Combined with other infrastructure investments in supply, storage and reuse, and aggressive conservation efforts that have seen per capita use drop by 30 percent in the past decade, we are witnessing a seismic transition in the South Metro area.

In 2003, The Rocky Mountain News ran an explosive three-day series, “Running Dry,” on what many perceived as a looming water crisis in the South Metro region. At the time, aquifers in some parts of the region were being drawn down at a rate of about 30 feet per year and the vast majority of the region’s water came from nonrenewable sources. A year later, local water providers joined together to create the South Metro Water Supply Authority and started creating the plan that is being executed now.

Today, annual aquifer declines are one-sixth of what they used to be and continue to decrease.  And while areas such as Highlands Ranch are already mostly renewable, the region as a whole is on track to receive the majority of its supplies from renewable sources by 2020.

That’s remarkable headway in a very short period of time given the complexities of water planning.

The region still has more work ahead. With continuing support for South Metro’s plans and projects on the local, regional and statewide level, we can feel confident in predicting that the days of alarming headlines around the South Metro region’s water future are in the past.

About the author:
Eric Hecox is the director of the South Metro Water Supply Authority, which represents 13 water suppliers encompassing most of Douglas County and parts of Arapahoe County. 

Reuter Hess Reservoir

Reuter Hess Reservoir

Announcing 2016 Downtown Denver Prototyping Festival, Open Call for Projects to Support Strengthening Vitality of the 16th Street Mall

DENVER (April 1, 2016) – The Downtown Denver Partnership and Downtown Denver Business Improvement District announced today the 2016 Prototyping Festival, an opportunity for the community to submit prototype ideas to make the 16th Street Mall a more vibrant public space. The Prototyping Festival is a component of The Mall Experiencean ongoing collaboration with the City and County of Denver and involving the Regional Transportation District, that aims to bring more people to the Mall and encourage them to stay longer. Community members spanning all walks of culture, practice and discipline are encouraged to submit creative proposals for the Prototyping Festival that are sustainable, engaging and create a unique sense of place along the Mall.

The Prototyping Festival, to be held July 23-24, is an opportunity to experiment with ideas for public spaces, and showcase ideas for how participatory design, art and technology can create connections and greater ownership of public spaces and how they are used. Accepted submissions will receive a $2,500 stipend to support project creation and installation.

“The 16th Street Mall is one of our most vital public spaces, and we are focused on ensuring its future as an authentic, self-sustaining place that is supported by the entire community,” says John Desmond, executive vice president of downtown environment for the Downtown Denver Partnership. “We encourage the entire community, including artists, designers, entrepreneurs and all those interested in ensuring the vibrancy of the Mall to submit their ideas for installations that can transform the visitor experience Downtown.”

Accepted submissions will be showcased during the final weekend of Meet in the Street, which returns for five consecutive weekends this summer, beginning June 25. Analysis of Meet in the Street, including the Prototyping Festival, will help hone in on long-term changes to the Mall and adjacent sites following an initial report and recommendations from Gehl Studio released earlier this year. This is the third year of Meet in the Street, which is funded by the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District.

The application process will be open from April 1 through May 15, 2016. Accepted submissions will be notified by June 1. The application and additional details are available at downtowndenver.com.

The Partnership will co-host an information session on April 5 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Commons on Champa (1245 Champa St., Denver) on the Prototyping Festival, Meet in the Street, and other opportunities to support strategic planning efforts for Downtown including The Next Stage and The Outdoor Downtown.

Additional details about activation programs to make Downtown Denver a premier summer destination, will be announced later this spring.

For more information visit www.downtowndenver.com.

About the Downtown Denver Partnership
The Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. partners with public, private and non-profit entities to implement high-impact strategies, outlined in the organization’s long-term strategy the 2007 Downtown Area Plan, to support its vision for an economically healthy, growing and vital Downtown Denver. For more information, visit www.downtowndenver.com.

About The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District
The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District (BID) is a public organization funded by private commercial property owners. It strives to provide a clean, safe and vibrant Downtown environment for workers, residents and visitors. Through their annual assessments to this quasi-governmental entity, BID property owners fund a series of district-wide programs that enhance Downtown Denver, including cleaning and maintenance efforts, safety initiatives and targeted visitor marketing. The BID is an independent organization that contracts with the Downtown Denver Partnership to manage its work program. For more information, visit www.downtowndenver.com/about-the-bid.
 

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Contact: Brea Olson
[email protected]
03.775.4712

Colorado Mining Association's Sanderson to Retire After 22 Years as President

Geopros to Conduct Nationwide Candidate Search for Successor

Denver, CO – The Colorado Mining Association (CMA) announced today that Stuart Sanderson will retire from the position of President & Chief Operating Officer effective September 30, 2016, a position he has held since October, 1994. Following his retirement, Sanderson will continue to serve as a consultant to the 140 year old trade association and to other clients.
 
The Board of Directors is also pleased to announce that the search for his successor will begin following the 118th National Western Mining Conference & Exhibition March 21-24, 2016 at the Colorado Convention Center.   
 
CMA has retained Geopros, Inc., a nationally recognized direct-placement recruiting firm, to conduct a nationwide search for a new President & COO. Interested candidates are asked to communicate directly with Jill Nelson at [email protected] or Lois Brooks at [email protected]Please do not contact or submit resumes directly to CMA.  
 
Following his retirement, Sanderson will continue to serve as a consultant to the CMA under a non-exclusive consulting services agreement for a six month period ending March 31, 2017. He will report to the new CMA President.  
 
“It has been my honor to serve the hard working men and women of Colorado’s mining industry for more than two decades,” Sanderson said. “Today’s announcement is the result of an orderly transition that has been underway for more than one year,” he added. “I look forward to participating in the recruitment of a successor,” he added “and continuing to serve the mining industry and other clients in the future.” 
 
Sanderson, an attorney, is credited for leading the CMA through a challenging transition following his retention in 1994, boosting membership and improving the Association’s financial condition. He also led the effort to keep Colorado open for the business of mining, spearheading the defense of state laws that promote the responsible development of the state’s mineral resources when those laws were subject to legislation and other initiatives to ban modern mining technologies. Under his leadership, CMA has engaged regulatory processes constructively to facilitate the continuation of mining operations. He has authored numerous articles on mining related issues and has appeared as the industry’s spokesman before local and national news organizations and broadcast networks.  
 
Colorado currently ranks 10th among the states in the production of clean coal, 4th in gold, and 1st in molybdenum. The state is also a significant source of pure sodium bicarbonate, gypsum, limestone and other specialty mineral production. Overall, mining generates about $3 billion in revenues, and nearly $9 billion in overall economic benefits for the state. Mine workers are among the highest paid industrial workers in Colorado.  
 
CMA Chairman Fred Menzer, Consultant to Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, and incoming Chairman Jim Mattern, President, Trapper Mining Inc., thanked Sanderson for his leadership.  “He has served for a period of time thought to be longer than most other trade association executives currently employed in Colorado. Thus, we both worked to ensure that the Association could rely upon Stuart’s expertise and experience as we move forward under new management,” Menzer said. “We are pleased that he will remain a consultant to the CMA.”
 
CMA is an industry association, founded in 1876, whose more than 900 members include the producers of minerals throughout Colorado and the west, including vendors and service providers to the industry. The organization is also headquartered in Denver, an international mining center.


Contact: Stuart Sanderson
303-575-9199
[email protected]
Colorado Mining Association
216 16th Street, Suite 1250
Denver, CO 80202

Consumer Energy Alliance Launches Offshore Call to Action

In advance of the pending release of the Proposed 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program, CEA on February 26 launched a Call to Action urging supporters to sign a letter to Interior Sec. Jewell urging her to maintain the Mid- and South Atlantic as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska in the Proposed Program. 

The Call to Action notes the benefits to consumers from access to domestic energy sources, including impacts on household budgets and jobs, economic activity, and public revenue.  The Call to Action also urges the Interior Department to promptly issue the approvals necessary for Atlantic seismic surveys to begin, and underscores support for expanding federal revenue-sharing to any state with oil and gas leasing in adjacent federal waters.  

Please take a moment to sign your name to the letter, and forward this link on to any friends and colleagues who might be interested in registering their support.

Consumer Energy Alliance 2.png

University of Colorado Economic Study Shows the Oil and Gas Industry is Key to Colorado’s Economic Health and Stability

For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Doug Flanders
303-861-0362
[email protected]
 
Rachel George
[email protected]
  
New Study Shows Positive Impact of Oil and Gas to Every Coloradan
 
DENVER (December  29, 2015) – The oil and gas industry in 2014 pumped $31.7 billion into Colorado’s economy, according to a new economic study by the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado at Boulder. The study, released today by the Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA), demonstrates the vital role the industry plays in the state’s economy.
 
Overall, the report found, the industry recorded $15.8 billion in production value, accounting for 38,650 direct jobs with average annual wages in excess of $105,000 —twice the average wage of all industries in Colorado. The total economic impact of the industry was $31.7 billion in 2014, supporting 102,700 jobs and $7.6 billion in compensation.
 
The report, Oil and Gas Industry Economic and Fiscal Contributions in Colorado by County, 2014, conducted by University of Colorado Boulder researchers Brian Lewandowski and Richard Wobbekind, found that in 2014 the oil and gas industry supported over 100,000 high paying workers and their families.
 
“The capital investments and industry production create jobs, income, wealth, and taxes, notably concentrated where production exists; however, as tax dollars flow into the state general fund and cash fund, the outflow of these dollars impacts every citizen in the state through investments in education, transportation, and others, “ the report stated.
 
Dan Haley, President and CEO of COGA said, “The industry’s overall tax bill represents approximately $600 of tax revenue per household in the state, and this does not include the industry’s corporate tax bill. Every Coloradan is positively impacted by this industry, no matter where you live.”
 
The report also details the significant amount of tax revenue generated by the oil and gas industry for school districts, as well as state and local governments that is well “beyond what other industries contribute. … Ad valorem taxes, for instance, are 3 times higher for oil and gas production than for commercial property within the state and 11 times higher than residential property.”
 
“Clearly, even as we work through this period of lower commodity prices, the oil and gas industry’s impact on Colorado’s economy is significant,” said Haley. “The industry continues to provide, and support, thousands of good paying jobs in all corners of the state. Governments across Colorado also depend on the oil and gas industry to pay for much-need public services. Without revenue from this industry, we would not be able to provide the necessary funding, or would have to further raise taxes, for public schools, roads, parks, and many other government services that Coloradans depend on.”
 
The study also found:


·       The oil and gas industry paid over $434.7 million in property taxes in 2014 and accounted for $156 million from the Colorado State Land Board School Trust distribution or 88 percent of the overall distribution of $178 million.

·       Severance tax revenue increased 92.9 percent from 2013 to 2014, generating $330 million in 2014 compared to $171 million in 2013.

·       In total, the oil and gas industry contributed over $1.1 billion in revenues to state and local governments, school districts, and special districts.

·       34 counties had oil production and 38 produced natural gas; 37 of Colorado’s 64 counties recorded taxable oil and gas property.

·       90 percent of Colorado’s taxable oil and gas property is in five counties: Weld, Garfield, La Plata, Rio Blanco and Montezuma.

·       Weld County produces 86 percent of the state’s oil and 25 percent of its natural gas.

·       Weld and Garfield alone accounted for 80 percent of drilling permits in 2014, with Weld having more than 66 percent of all active rigs in the state.

 
While Weld and Garfield Counties are the leaders in production, Denver, Weld, Mesa, Garfield, and Adams counties are the “center of employment for the industry,” accounting for 79 percent of the total direct jobs. Interestingly, the City and County of Denver had the most direct industry jobs in the state with nearly 13,000 paying over $161,000 dollars a year.
 
“This study clearly shows that cities and counties that either don’t have or have limited oil and production are reliant on our positive contributions to their community. When any new rules or regulations are being considered that impact oil and gas production, Weld and Garfield Counties’ voices must be heard,” Haley said. “We must avoid the domino effect of production in these two counties being negatively impacted and then the rest of the state’s employment and revenue declining as well.” 
 
This study used publicly available industry data to quantify the economic impacts of the industry in Colorado by county. The study examined the economic indicators and impacts to the county level, looking at employment, wages, and well activity to economic and fiscal impacts.
 
Go to the COGA website to see the full report on the 2014 oil and gas industries' economic and fiscal contributions in Colorado.
 
# # #

Bill Gates Leads $2 Billion in New Climate Investments

Bill Gates is the world’s richest man, and as such he's leading a group of investors and philanthropists in efforts to invest $2 billion into clean energy.

The founder of Microsoft will be joined by 26 private investors and the University of California in the so-called Breakthrough Energy Coalition. This announcement today coincides with the launch of the United Nations climate talks in Paris.

Other contributors to the coalition include George Soros, Tom Steyer, Ratan Tata, Mark Zuckerberg, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. chairman and founder Jack Ma, and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote - Africa’s richest man. The coalition also includes Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group Ltd.; and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com Inc. “We’ll get more people to join, and so that number will go up from there,” Gates said.

"The existing system of basic research, clean energy investment, regulatory frameworks, and subsidies fails to sufficiently mobilize investment in truly transformative energy solutions for the future. 
We can’t wait for the system to change through normal cycles."

As the world's political leaders meet in France, it's also important to see what business leaders are doing on environmental and energy issues. That's likely why Bill Gates and his cohort of billionaires are announcing their aims to make change through their investments.

Businesses clearly have a major role to play as corporate operations are a source of major opportunity for increasing sustainability. To read the thoughts and see the actions of the Business Roundtable members on these issues, please view the 2015 BRT Sustainability Report below:

http://businessroundtable.org/sites/default/files/2015%20Sustainability%20Report.2015.04.22.pdf

"CEOs are leading their companies to adopt effective environmental and sustainable business practices. This report details how companies are pursuing innovative strategies to create jobs, grow the U.S. economy and sustain and enhance the quality of life in America and around the world."
Source: http://www.breakthroughenergycoalition.com...

Coal, Gas, Nuclear, Hydro? How Your State Generates Power

By ALYSON HURT from NPR

The government has proposed new standards to lower emissions from coal-fueled power plants. But overall, the country is relying less on coal for power. In 40 states, use of coal as a power source (as a share of all power sources) has dropped since 2004. Many of these states are increasingly relying on natural gas instead.

Data Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration 

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Source: http://www.npr.org/2015/09/10/319535020/co...

House Subcommittee Passes Bill to Lift U.S. Crude Export Ban

US-oil

The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee approved by voice vote today a bill designed to repeal a 40-year-old restriction on crude oil exports.

The bill will now move to the full committee, possibly at a hearing next week.

“The growing supply of American oil is outpacing domestic demand and needs a new outlet,” Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., says at hearing.
Rep. Bobby Rush of Ill., subcommittee’s top Democrat, says can’t support repeal “at this very moment,” “We need more time” to consider impact on jobs.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, says that while amendments are likely, he expects full House and Senate approval of export-ban repeal by Christmas

The Senate energy committee in July approved separate legislation to end crude-export limits in July. The House bill number is H.R. 702.

How would such a policy change impact you and your business? Feel free to email me at [email protected] and let us know what you think.

Source: https://www.bgov.com/core/news_articles/NU...

OPEC "Effectively Dissolved" - Saudi Arabia May Go Broke Before US Oil Industry Backs Down

King-Salman-of-Saudi-Arabia

When Saudi Arabia stopped supporting oil prices last November, many thought that they could use their large national reserves to undercut the competition and force U.S. shale producers out of business. As oil prices fell, they seemed confident they could ride it out and maintain their historically-dominant market position. 

Back in December, The Economist argued that absent a major unforeseen event, America's shale industry should be able to genuinely rival Saudi Arabia as the world's marginal producer. They were right.

It now appears that Saudi Arabia's confidence was misplaced and such a strategy was, in fact, misguided. This all puts the newly-coronated King Salman in a tough position, to say the least.

Bank of America says OPEC is now "effectively dissolved". 

"It is becoming apparent that non-OPEC producers are not as responsive to low oil prices as had been thought, at least in the short-run," admits the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia in its latest stability report. "The main impact has been to cut back on developmental drilling of new oil wells, rather than slowing the flow of oil from existing wells."

While low prices have scrapped plans for a variety of high-cost and high-risk ocean investments, something environmentalists around the world can be pleased about, US shale producers are not that high-cost, and experts from IHS think companies could reduce costs another 45 percent this year.

Bloomberg-Bakken-Region-Oil-Production-and-Rig-Count

The IHS experts believe these efficiency gains are possible not only through switching production to just the highest-yielding wells. Continually advancing drilling technology allows operators to launch 5 - 10 wells in different directions from one site. Other cost saving techniques are about to be implemented as well. 

"We've driven down drilling costs by 50 per cent, and we can see another 30 per cent ahead," said John Hess, head of the Hess Corporation.

While the North American rig-count has dropped down to 664 from a high of 1608 in October, output  has still risen to a 43-year high: 9.6million barrels per day. Experts believe it is only just beginning too. Rex Tillerson, head of Exxon Mobil, recently said "The freight train of North American tight oil has kept on coming."

While the oil industries in Colorado and elsewhere have felt the challenging effects of such a shakeout, America's oil & gas industry is now more resilient and efficiency keeps improving. This is good news for consumers. Lower prices with lower volatility should boost demand, resulting in additional growth. Economists calculate that the price cut has shifted well above $1.3 trillion from producers to consumers. 

Advances in renewable energy technology will increasingly offer people the choice of using a substitute, further limiting oil's power in the future.

"Prices are not going to snap back. People are in denial," said Prince Nawaf Al-Sabah, head of Kuwait's explorer, KUFPEC.

International-monetary-fund-oil-price-budget-2015

This is troubling for countries that relied too heavily on one industry for their national income. Saudi Arabia, for example, relies on oil for 90% of its national budget. The International Monetary Fund estimates that this year's budget deficit will reach 20 per cent of GDP , or roughly $140 billion USD. The 'fiscal break-even price' is $US106.

While King Salman does face economic uncertainty, it's becoming more certain things are not going his way. He faces greater uncertainty politically-speaking. Can he maintain social stability within his country? Within the Middle Eastern region? Read more about the economics and possible political implications in an article by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard here.
 

NREL's economic impact tops $872 million, says CU-Boulder study

NREL News Release

The economic impact of the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was $872.3 million nationwide in fiscal year 2014, according to a study by the University of Colorado Boulder's ’s Leeds School of Business.

The study estimates NREL’s impact to Colorado’s economy totaled $701 million, a decline of 1.6 percent from the prior year. The slight year-over-year drop was largely attributed to a decline in major construction spending that came as NREL completed the planned build-out of its sustainable campus.

Jefferson County, where the largest concentration of NREL employees is located, saw a $275 million economic impact from the national lab. The Golden-based research laboratory is among the 10 largest employers in the county, according to the study, which was done by Richard Wobbekind and Brian Lewandowski of the Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business.

The study was funded by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, which manages and operates NREL for the Department of Energy. The study is online at http://www.nrel.gov/about/business.html.

NREL develops clean energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advances related science and engineering, and provides knowledge and innovations to integrate energy systems at all scales. NREL received $382 million in funding during 2014.

 “This report shows how important NREL has become in taking our ongoing research into clean energy and making it available for the marketplace so that everyone can benefit,” said Dan Arvizu, NREL director and president of Alliance for Sustainable Energy. “The completion of the NREL campus build-out plan gives our scientists better tools to do even more collaborative work with established companies and startups on new energy technologies.”

The CU-Boulder study, which also contains data for fiscal years 2012 and 2013, found that during 2014 NREL:

--Employed 1,730 full-time and 105 part-time employees.

--Contributed $470,000 raised by employees to more than 400 charities. That figure includes a 10 percent match by Alliance for Sustainable Energy for every employee dollar given.

--Welcomed nearly 25,000 visitors to its campus and adjacent Education Center.

NREL held 195 licensing agreements in 2014, resulting in the transfer of 166 new technologies for commercialization. More than 30 clean-energy companies have been started based on research at NREL.

Included in the report are case studies showing how innovations developed at NREL are moving from the laboratory into the marketplace:

--NREL’s partnership with OPXBIO of Boulder on a way to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas feedstock into renewable fuels.

--NREL’s collaboration with the Department of Defense to help all branches of the armed services meet their energy goals.

--NREL’s opening of the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), allowing greater collaboration with companies on clean energy research.

--NREL’s ongoing support of the entrepreneurial community through its annual Industry Growth Forum.

Almost 60 percent of workers at NREL are involved in research and development, according to the study, which also highlighted a highly educated workforce. Among NREL workers, 95 percent hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and 63 percent have earned advanced degrees, including 31 percent with a doctorate.

The scheduled completion of NREL’s sustainable campus resulted in six buildings earning certification as LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council, including the ESIF and the Research Support Facility (RSF). The addition of ESIF to the campus gives NREL an unparalleled collection of state-of-the-art capabilities that supports the development, evaluation, and demonstration of innovative clean energy technologies. The RSF is a net-zero energy building, meaning that over the course of a year it produces at least as much energy as it uses. The NREL site serves as a model for the construction of energy-efficient buildings and campuses.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Contact:
Elizabeth Lock, CU-Boulder media relations, 303-492-3117
[email protected]

- See more at: http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2015/06/04/nrels-economic-impact-tops-872-million-says-cu-boulder-study#sthash.PPdpO6v1.dpuf

Fracking and America’s Energy Revolution

Posted by CRED

America’s energy sector is undergoing a revolution.

Our nation’s energy supply is more diverse than ever before.  As our population grows, this diverse supply promises to meet and sustain our future energy needs.

In 2012, fracking helped make the United States the number one oil and natural gas producer in the world—ending our dependence on foreign sources of energy. A record-breaking domestic production of natural gas and renewables is boosting our supply of clean-burning energy. This revolution is changing U.S. energy consumption patterns.

As fracking and other technologies unlock more natural gas and other energy, our dependence on petroleum is decreasing, especially at the pump.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that non-petroleum’s share of transportation energy reached the highest level since 1954. Americans are increasingly turning to natural gas, electricity or biomass to fuel our cars, trucks, and buses.  In fact, natural gas-fueled vehicles have more than doubled since 2000.

This shift in consumption patterns has helped curb carbon pollution to 17-year lows—a triumph applauded by industry, environmentalists, and consumers.

As the balanced energy capitalof the West, Colorado is leading America’s energy revolution. We rank in the top 10 in natural gas, solar, wind, and oil production. This diversity coupled with strict regulations is meeting our state’s energy needs while boosting our economy and preserving our environment.

Policymakers are replicating Colorado’s energy and regulatory success across the country to ensure America remains a global leader for generations to come.


Douglas County Supports Efforts for Responsible Energy Development

Written by Meredith Bagnulo

There’s no doubt that the oil and gas industry, which has been a vital part of Colorado’s history, continues to play a key role in the region’s economic development. According to the Colorado Oil & Gas Association, Colorado produces enough oil for use by 2.2 million people per year and brings over 110,000 direct and indirect jobs to the State.

Recent initiatives in Douglas County are paving the way for continued support of responsible energy development.

Earlier this week, the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to support “continued energy development that is responsible, and the State of Colorado’s existing regulations and oversight for that development.”

The passing of this resolution is significant as energy development continues to be a driving force for Colorado’s economy in areas such as real estate and homebuilding, manufacturing, agriculture, and job growth.

Additionally, in early 2015, the Douglas County Energy Coalition was formed to increase citizens' support for domestic energy development. The Coalition is made up of a diverse grassroots team of business and community leaders from across county and has held a number of events and seminars to educate constituents on key energy-related issues.  

“Sustained support for responsible oil and gas development not only affects a lot of jobs in Douglas County but is vital to Colorado’s economy,” said Amy Sherman, Chair of the Douglas County Energy Coalition.  “We are thrilled to see Douglas County get out in front with such a common-sense approach to a major statewide issue and hope that this sets an example for other local governments around Colorado to do the same.”