I read where the shameless shill for the oil and gas industry, David Ludlum, is being replaced as representative of the West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association. I would caution the newcomer, Eric Carlson, to do more research than his predecessor did before he starts extolling the virtues of natural gas.
Ludlum gushed that natural gas is used to melt steel in steel mills. Right here is 17 years of experience at Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana, working closely with melders saying he’s full of it. Natural gas can’t achieve anywhere near the melting temperature of steel.
Carlson comes from the regulatory side of the industry, so I’m sure he knows the regulations are inadequate and the fines for breaking those regulations laughably small. The drillers are making so much money that they can write the fines off as pocket change.
Carlson said he’s met (conspired?) with the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission and “talked about goals the industry has here to provide safe and clean energy.” That’s good, because their product is neither safe nor clean and is not likely to change given the industry’s emphasis on profits over the public good.
Of course, Carlson is delighted Proposition 112 was defeated. He described it as “craftily worded.” I’m quite familiar with the phraseology in the proposition and I’ll be damned if I can find any craft in it. Maybe it was “vulnerable areas” like streams and rivers and fresh water supplies.
Interesting Carlson brought up the wonders of horizontal drilling and fracking. That’s one of the main reasons Proposition 112 wasn’t a ban on new wells as the industry portrayed it.
Carlson said 112 is a reminder the industry must “continue to communicate with the public.” Why do I hear sell them a bill of goods?
Fred Malo Jr.
Carbondale …read more
Via:: Post Independent