COLORADO: Decreasing oil and gas permits impacting Weld County businesses, local governments.

According to an analysis by FOX31, in 2017-2018, state regulators approved around 350 permits each month.

However, since the passage of SB 181 in April 2019, permits have been averaging around 148 a month — a decrease of more than 50 percent.

Weld County is seeing the impact.

In 2017, 2,466 new permits were approved by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

By comparison, through October of this year, 1,470 new permits were approved for Weld County, with 880 being approved before SB 181 was signed into law.

Some in the area are concerned about the impact on the local economy.

“Some” apparently doesn’t include the Democrats who passed SB19-181 on a strict party-line vote.

Weld County produces about 90% of the state’s oil and gas.