DENVER (AP) — Colorado's Democratic governor is offering little sympathy to oil and gas executives worried about tighter state restrictions on drilling.
Jared Polis told an industry meeting Wednesday that international markets and instability abroad have more impact on oil and gas than the state's new approach to regulation.
Polis signed a law in April making public health and safety the state's top priority instead of promoting production.
Dan Haley, president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, asked Polis several times to respond to industry concerns about its standing in the state. The governor eventually replied he values industry jobs but added that they're part of a diverse state economy.
Polis argued the new law brought stability to the industry by heading off more drastic restrictions on where wells can be drilled.
