Colorado is quickly becoming ground zero for a political war over the future of fracking.
Drill operations are pushing deeper into populated areas these days and some local governments and activists are supporting ballot measures that would give communities greater control over the industry.
To avoid a political battle in November, Governor John Hickenlooper is rushing to craft a compromise bill right now that could be passed by a special session of the state legislature. But already, political spending both pro and con is washing over Colorado.
Dan Boyce with our Inside Energy team reports.
To grab a quick sampling of the Denver electorate, the 16th street mall’s not too bad. You’ve got people walking the sunny pedestrian thoroughfare. Grabbing lunch, shopping.
Musician Chris Riederer’s jamming on a neon painted sidewalk piano.
“I can’t do the hard part yet.”
He says yeah, he’ll probably vote this year. Same thing for Audrey Krause. She’s munching a salad at a shiny metal table nearby.
“But I don’t vote unless I know what I’m voting for.”
And so far, she’s not super up to speed on the local control debate over oil and gas. But she’s heard a little bit.
“I’ve seen like commercials that fracking is not what you think it is, it’s not this like terrible thing for the environment, blah blah blah.”
CRED is Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development. It started last fall and it’s funded by two of the biggest oil and gas companies operating in Colorado--Anadarko and Noble, both based out of state. CRED Communications Director Jon Haubert says widespread misrepresentations of fracking need an industry correction.
“They are the ones in the best position to say hey, we’re the ones being demonized. Can you take just a minute to hear our perspective.”
CRED’s status as a non-profit educational organization means their ads cannot come right out and say “hey don’t vote for these ballot measures.” Anadarko and Noble have another group to do that. It’s called Protect Colorado. Their job is definitely to say vote no.
Both Karen Crummy and Jon Haubert work in the same office. I talked to them at the same time. But, here’s the difference between their groups. Protect Colorado has to report how much money it’s bringing in, and spending. State records show they’ve raised about $3 million so far. CRED, the education group, they don’t have to report much of anything financially. But, the Colorado-based Center for Western Priorities is tracking them -- and they estimate CRED has already spent about $2 and a half million dollars on those pro-fracking educational ads. CRED’s Jon Haubert says $2 and a half million dollars is probably pretty close-- and the spending will continue.
In 2008, Coloradans considered initiative 58 would have increased taxes for oil and gas. Floyd Cirulli is an independent pollster here in Colorado.
“I thought the stars were well positioned for it.”
But, the measure eventually failed, in part because of big industry bucks.
“That final push of negative advertising, by and large unanswered, because the proponents didn’t have much in the way of advertising money, caused it to collapse.”
It was record spending, according to the nonpartisan National Institute on Money in state politics. $12 million dollars, totally dwarfing the energy industry’s political spending here before or since. That money coming from the likes of Conoco, Chevron, Exxon BP, Noble and Anadarko.
Cirulli predicts this time around, industry will be willing to spend a lot more to protect fracking.
“I would say you could multiply $12 million by 3 to get to that figure.”
Another difference, this time the anti-fracking crowd will be well-funded too.
And back on the 16th Street Mall, Audrey Krause admits political ad spending, it does influence her.
“I think most people are like myself though where they’re just gonna…kind of go on, based on what they hear in commercials on really strong pros and people who are against it.”
Unless the Governor convinces lawmakers to pass a special session compromise, this showdown for public opinion will continue: over the airwaves, the internet, billboards, everywhere.
