Are Garfield County Commissioners misusing your tax dollars?

Approximately $1.8 million (and counting) has been allocated on expensive out-of-town PR agencies, high-dollar Denver attorneys and other consultants to fight common sense public health and environmental protections from oil and gas development.

That’s nearly $2 million that went to Denver, rather than providing services and support to residents of Garfield County. Not only are they sending your dollars to Denver, they aren't getting much in return. The county lost almost every argument it made before the two state agencies making the rules, and spent more than $200,000 on a lawsuit that was thrown out in court.

This spending spree began in June 2019, when the Garfield County Commissioners allocated an initial $500,000 from their oil and gas mitigation fund to fight new rules for oil and gas development that, for the first time ever, required state agencies to consider the public health and environmental impacts in their oversight of the industry.

“If you need to come back, then come back.
My guess is that’s not enough money.”
– Tom Jankovsky (source)

They came back three more times, in fact, for another $1,293,000 dollars. The final allocation was approved by the Garfield County Commissioners in December 2020.

A Frivolous Lawsuit

$237,677.80 was spent on a lawsuit - led by Garfield County and paid for by Garfield County taxpayers - to overturn a new rule specifically designed to protect air quality in neighborhoods and schools that are within 1,000 feet of oil and gas wells and other infrastructure. Despite the outcry of constituents in Rifle and Battlement Mesa who had fought for these common sense protections, Garfield County Commissioners moved forward with a lawsuit, though they were soon sent packing when a District Court judge dismissed their claim.

Never Ending Attorneys Fees

Despite this failed lawsuit, the county continued to pay Denver law firm Davis, Graham & Stubbs a total of over $1.2 million between July 2019 through December 2020. Beyond the lawsuit, Davis, Graham, and Stubbs collected over a million dollars in fees fighting against the new oil and gas rules that protect our health, safety and welfare and the environment.

Pricey PR

Denver PR firm GroundFloor Media was paid $85,958.07 for 10 months of work in 2020 for social media, press and other communications in order to create an illusion that Garfield County was acting on behalf of residents and not industry corporate interests.

Revolving Door Industry Lobbyists

The former director of the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, Matt Lepore has been paid by Garfield County since at least July 2019 to provide “Expert Consulting” on the rulemakings. From July 2019 through December 2020, Lepore and the two firms – Adamantine Energy and Insight Energy Law – he’s worked at have been paid at least $140,750 by Garfield County taxpayers.

“Expert” Testimony Bought and Paid for

In addition, Garfield County taxpayers have paid more than $204,000 to other so-called experts to testify before the AQCC and COGCC over the last two years. That includes $117,635 paid to Wyoming-based Natural Resource Economics for studies of the energy economy and expert testimony that did little to move the argument and more than $86,000 to other consultants.

Carrying the costs for 14 other Colorado Counties

Garfield County Oil & Gas Liaison Kirby Wynn traveled around the state in 2019 and convinced officials from like minded counties to join the Western & Rural Local Government Coalition, which has spent the last two years advocating against oil and gas reforms designed to protect public health and the environment. Turns out, Garfield County is the only member that has paid any money for Western & Rural Local Government Coalition, while 14 other counties and 8 towns and cities reaped the benefits.

At a July 6 meeting of the Garfield County Commissioners, a member of the audience asks if the other governments that are part of the WRLG coalition were also contributing. County Commissioner John Martin answered that in factGarfield County taxpayers are covering all the costs associated with the WRLG.

“Since we are the lead, we go ahead and pay that particular bill.
They have joined onto that particular support.
However, again, it is not monetary at this time.”
— John Martin (source)

Why are Garfield County residents solely responsible for these costs?

This $2 million came from the County's Oil & Gas Mitigation Fund. The county's 2021 budget makes it clear that the money is supposed to be used to "mitigate adverse property, social and environmental impacts of oil and gas related activities..." (Source)

Clearly the Commissioners defied the intent and purpose of the Oil & Gas Mitigation Fund to pay for lawyers, lobbyists, and a variety of consultants in order to defend and promote the energy industry. This is simply wrong.

YOUR GARFIELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

(left to right)

Tom Jankovsky, John Martin, and Mike Samson

Can you think of better uses for your tax dollars?

The Garfield County Commissioners have spent approximately $2 million on Front Range lawyers, PR and policy consultants in defense of the interests of energy companies that are mostly headquartered in Oklahoma, Texas and other states.

What does $2 million pay for in the 2021 Garfield County Budget?

Additionally, $2 million could have been spent in many ways that could have directly benefited Garfield County residents during the pandemic:

The county spends $3.5 million annually on all its public health services — such as air quality monitoring, vaccinations, dental care, and other modest healthcare services. An additional $2 million could have been used to expand support for these public health needs.
The $2 million could have been used to support local businesses and residents struggling to make ends meet during the economic downturn.
$2 million could have been spent to improve county roads like the South Bridge project connecting Midland Avenue to Highway 82 in Glenwood Springs, allowing for evacuation in the event of a major wildfire and improved access for public safety services. The county has, so far, spent $0 on this much needed project.

TAKE ACTION!

Over the last two years the Garfield County Commissioners have spent nearly $2 million in public dollars in a fruitless effort to halt new state rules for oil and gas development that are designed to protect our health and the environment. The rules are mandated under Senate Bill 181, which became law in the spring of 2019. The law directed two state agencies to rewrite the rules and regulations for oil and gas development in order to cut ozone pollution and methane emissions and prioritize public health, welfare, safety and the environment.

Approximately $1.6 million in Garfield County funds have gone to Front Range attorneys and consultants to fight new rules that are meant to protect Colorado and Coloradoans from the worst effects of fossil fuel development. An additional $230,000 was spent on a longshot lawsuit to overturn air quality protections. And what did we get? The County lost nearly every argument it made, despite spending so much of our money. And this is only the money that they spent in the past two years. In 2021, the Commissioners are positioning themselves to spend millions more fighting against new protections at the federal level.

In the middle of a pandemic that has crippled the local economy, it seems like this $2 million dollars could be better spent on the residents of Garfield County.

Do you agree? Let the Commissioners know how they can better spend our money by sending them an email . Feel free to edit and add your own thoughts!