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Aspen Public Radio news keeps you up to date with the latest information on the environment. From the debate over gas/oil drilling in the valley to water and wildlife - you will find our on-going commitment to those stories here.

Fracktivists Split on Supporting Hickenlooper

peggytibbetts.net

Many fractivists across Colorado felt deeply betrayed by Governor John Hickenlooper this summer, when he announced a grand bargain over fracking. After meeting with members of the oil and gas industry and environmental groups, everyone agreed to drop ballot measures for and against drilling… instead agreeing to a statewide task force. Now fractivists are faced with a tough choice in the upcoming election. The gubernatorial race has turned razor thin, and they must decide whether to vote for Hickenlooper, or accept a more drilling friendly Republican administration.

Mail-in ballots are already arriving, and long time Democrat Peggy Tibbetts isn’t sure whether she can stand casting hers for Hickenlooper.

“I think any self respecting fractivist has got to be really puzzled by this election and what to do.”

Tibbetts, who lives in Silt, writes the fracking blog, “From the Styx.” She feels pulling the ballot measures is one of many ways her party hasn’t protected residents... from the effects of oil and gas development.

“If I'm not to leave my ballot blank, I would have to look at it as the lesser of two evils, and then I'd have to take oil and gas out of the picture and just vote on other issues. But because of where I live, in Silt, wouldn't I be betraying myself, my family, my community by just ignoring the oil and gas issue?”

Tibbetts believes some of Hickenlooper’s efforts to keep the industry clean, like tougher air quality requirements, don’t mean much because there’s not many enforcement employees. 

Credit Glenwood Springs Post Independent
Allyn Harvey, Carbondale Town Trustee and unabashed Democrat.

“I support Governor John Hickenlooper for governor, I think he’s done a good job through 4 years.” 

Allyn Harvey, Carbondale town trustee, recently wrote a newspaper column asking fellow left leaning residents to hold their nose and vote for Hickenlooper.

“We've got a governor who in many respects appeals to Democrats, whether its his support for Thompson Divide, protecting that, or you know his courage on the gun issue, I don't think the new gun laws are all that onerous.” 

So far Bob Beauprez has not publicly taken a position on the Thompson Divide. Aspen Public Radio asked his campaign about the matter and they did not respond. In general, the former Congressman supports allowing more oil and gas development in Colorado.

As for voters in the Roaring Fork Valley, one fractivist who’s fed up with Hickenlooper is Anita Sherman. Formerly active with the Democratic party, she’s now an independent. Sherman is based in Glenwood Springs and explains her view over an echoey phone line. “I see no difference between a Beauprez win or a Hickenlooper win. And my vote is going to somebody to change I what I see is not being consistent with a policy enforcement that I support.”

Like limiting fracking.

Credit Twitter profile
Glenwood Springs resident and former Democratic Party member Anita Sherman.

“I found the independent candidate, running for governor, Mike Dunafon, very interesting.”

Dunafon is one of four candidates on the ballot besides Beauprez and Hickenlooper. There’s also a Green Party representative, who got the endorsement of the Boulder Weekly. The paper is at the heart of much of Colorado’s fracktivist community, and says in a voter guide, quote, “few races illustrate so poignantly how the lines have blurred between our two major parties.”

Pete Maysmith is Executive Director of Conservation Colorado, one of the state’s biggest pro environment groups.

“In terms of who is going to do a better job of protecting Colorado's environment, and representing environmental values as the leader of Colorado for next four years, we don't think it's a close call at all.”

Credit Conservation Colorado
Pete Maysmith, Executive Director, Conservation Colorado.

They’ve endorsed Hickenlooper.

“Bob Beauprez's made it abundantly clear that he's going to hang a drill baby drill shingle out in front of his governor's office if he's the governor... to accelerate the pace of drilling and to weaken already existing protections and to resist any new regulations, which Beauprez will do as governor, I think that makes the situation far, far worse.”

But a lot of fractivists aren’t happy with Maysmith and Conservation Colorado, since the nonprofit was part of this summer’s landmark compromise. An activist with more grassroots street cred is Shane Davis. He agrees that, for voters wary about more drilling, Hickenlooper is worth voting for.

“This is a bigger war, and we must vote tactically, strategically, not just based on emotion. Because we think we have issues now, we have no idea what kind of nightmare we would wake up to if Cory Gardner and Bob Beauprez were actually elected.”   Gardner is the Republican candidate for Colorado’s US Senate seat, also a very tight race. Davis is perhaps the epitome of a fractivist-- he’s dedicated his life to opposing drilling, and was featured in the recent anti-fracking film, “Dear Governor Hickenlooper.”

“Even though the Governor has blocked me on Twitter, and still owes me an interview, I will probably vote for him anyways. But he will not, he will not get off easy. His feet are going to be held to the fire in every possible way.”

Credit Dear Governor Hickenlooper
Front Range fractivist Shane Davis.

For Peggy Tibbetts, back in Silt, it may take some time to decide whether she wants to do that. Even though mail in ballots have gone out, she’s glad it’s not quite November 4th.

“I think probably most people are like me, they're just trying to figure out what to do. And thinking oh good, it's not the election yet.” 

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