Daily Sentinel uncritically reported Rep. Gardner's hearsay about energy companies leaving Colorado for less-regulated states

Summary: Reporting on a hearing for proposed new state rules concerning energy development, The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction on March 5 uncritically noted state Rep. Cory Gardner's (R) claim that he had heard uncertainty has pushed some companies to shift their business to Kansas and Nebraska. The article did not provide the names of any companies that have done so, and it did not report that Gardner identified any.

A March 5 online article by The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction about a legislative hearing on a state panel's "pre-draft rulemaking proposal" for oil and gas development uncritically reported state Rep. Cory Gardner's (R-Yuma) assertion that he had heard "uncertainty about forthcoming rules for issuing drilling permits has pushed [energy companies] to shift their business to Kansas and Nebraska." The article did not identify any companies that have done so and did not quote Gardner as identifying any.

As Colorado Media Matters noted, on January 23, the Daily Sentinel similarly reported energy industry officials who met with the newspaper's editorial board claiming that the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's new rules "could force them to look outside Colorado for business."

The March 5 online article by Mike Saccone reported that "Republican state lawmakers pressed officials from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission today to say a series of highly anticipated rules for energy development will not deter the industry f[rom] operating in Colorado." The article continued:

Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, said he has heard stories from energy companies on the Eastern Plains that uncertainty about forthcoming rules for issuing drilling permits has pushed them to shift their business to Kansas and Nebraska, which have less onerous permitting rules.

However, the article did not report the names of any companies Gardner claimed had "shift[ed]" business to neighboring states, and it provided no comments from energy company officials on the prospect of forgoing the development of the substantial natural gas deposits in Colorado due to uncertainty about the rulemaking.

As Colorado Media Matters noted, the January 23 Daily Sentinel article by Bobby Magill was headlined "Energy industry: Maybe we'll leave." It reported, "Colorado's oil and gas industry is hopping mad about new energy development regulations being written by the state, so much so that industry members say it could force them to look outside Colorado for business." The article further noted:

Officials from [the Colorado Oil and Gas Association], Williams Production and EnCana Oil and Gas USA told The Daily Sentinel they are vehemently opposed to the rulemaking because they feel the Oil and Gas Commission is overstepping what the laws require, and industry hasn't been adequately represented in the rulemaking process.

—C.H.