It was refreshing to read the story about the impact of the new administration’s moratorium on new oil and gas drilling permits on federal lands.
Not for any political reason — in fact, it was for a particularly non-political reason that we found the story to be such a breath of fresh air.
Here was a story that was generated from a political action taken on an extremely hot-button political issue, especially in this county. And yet, when a Tribune reporter spoke to the person who should have known the most about what this might do to drilling in our region, it turned out that, in fact, he did.
Jason Maxey, the director of the Oil and Gas Energy Department for Weld County, a very young county-created department with a fraught politicized past, was calm, cool, collected and informative. He spoke apolitically, reminded folks not to look at blustery headlines and to seek facts, and then gave facts. And the facts were this was a relatively muted impact on the industry.
Oil and gas developers, he said, didn’t drill all that much on federal land, and had probably dozens upon dozens if not more of permits already saved up for wells they were yet to begin drilling. None of those were affected by President Biden’s moratorium. Nor were any wells or activity being performed on non-federal lands, for that matter — the vast majority of the county and where most of the development takes place.
Maxey wasn’t worried. He didn’t think it’d be that big a deal, because it wasn’t that big a deal.
He could’ve taken a political stance. He was appointed by politicians who certainly have that track record. He could’ve fear-mongered, or bashed a political adversary. Maxey didn’t. He just stuck to the facts.
And that’s fantastic, because sometimes, the facts will be more concerning, perhaps, and we’ll be able to trust our local expert to tell us straight what’s going on in those cases.
Facts matter. It’s nice to get them from someone right here in town, especially on this sticky and highly politicized an issue.
— Greeley Tribune Editorial Board is made of the following members: Jerry Martin, editor; Cuyler Meade, news editor; Lindsay Haines, events manager; Eli Horyza, distribution manager. Martin can be contacted at jmartin@greeleytribune.com. Editorial responses can be submitted to letters@greeleytribune.com.
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February 13, 2021 at 09:01PM
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Greeley Tribune Opinion: Good to have local experts to give us direct, honest info on oil and gas - Greeley Tribune
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