DENVER – Following the unveiling of a study undertaken by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Senator Ray Scott (R-Grand Junction) issued the following response:

“Democrats and environmental groups were somehow able to read through and digest a 380-page scientific modeling study within a few minutes of its release and conclude that state action was necessary immediately. Local control is no longer the desired course of action for our colleagues across the aisle, as we suspected from the beginning.

These attempts to stir media hysteria may be useful to advance policy goals of the few, but it is no way to govern and no way to properly regulate an industry of this size that so many Coloradans depend upon to put food on the table.

The study seems to conclude that under a ‘small number of oil and gas development scenarios’ under ‘worst-case’ conditions that short-term health effects may be evident based upon computer modeling (and not actual cases). Senate Republicans will take the time to carefully examine this study as we’re sure the industry is doing as well.

Clearly, Governor Polis was incorrect when he declared an end to the ‘oil and gas wars,’ as it seems his party is determined to tear down one of Colorado’s most economically beneficial industries.”