Oil And Gas Task Force Recommendations Take Beating At Hearing

<p>(Grace Hood/CPR News)</p>
<p>A oil and gas task force public hearing was held in Denver on Monday, Nov. 16, 2015.</p>
Photo:Oil &amp; Gas task force hearing (Hood)
A oil and gas task force public hearing was held in Denver on Monday, Nov. 16, 2015.

Recommendations from the Gov. John Hickenlooper’s oil and gas task force aimed at improving communication between energy companies and local governments sparked strong criticism Monday.

Both sides of the oil and gas debate aired frustrations at a Denver hearing. Boulder County Commissioner Elise Jones said they fall short of accomplishing real change.

“If this rule is passed without changes, this long process will have been a waste of time," Jones said. "The concern and outcry from Front Range residents will continue.”

Dan Haley, president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said the rules go too far.

“The rules as written now include provisions that were killed during task force process," Haley said. "Clearly, the task force did not intend for those things to be included in these rules.”

Hickenlooper convened the task force in 2014 as an attempt to compromise with citizen groups seeking more control over the oil and gas process. The state’s oil and gas commission is expected to discuss the recommendations Tuesday, and finalize rule language in December.