Internal Talking Points for Addressing Public Concerns about Hydraulic Fracturing or Interest in the
Local Ballot Initiatives
Addressing Fracking Concerns

Colorado has an over 150 year history of oil and gas development and decades of experience
with hydraulic fracturing, a critical step in resource extraction. Hydraulic fracturing was
developed over 60 years and has been engineered and improved by the best scientific and
technical minds in the country over this period.

Hydraulic fracturing is the process pumping pressurized water, sand and additives to the
resource formation to fracture the rock. Over 99.5% of this fluid is water and sand, the
remaining >.5% are additives used to more efficiently and effectively fracture the rock.

Colorado requires disclosure of all “frac fluids” on www.fracfocus.org, including the additive
name, use and concentration of proven proprietary ingredients, many of which are common
household products.

There are more than 1 million wells fractured in the United States and there has been no
evidence of water contamination from the process despite numerous studies.
o Colorado has evidence in over 2,000 samples groundwater samples in the San Juan
Basin that hydraulic fracturing doesn’t contaminate groundwater

On average in Colorado, wells are drilled to 7,000 feet to reach the resources. Typically,
groundwater is found above 1,000 feet. This means that there is over a mile of impermeable
shale formations between drinking water sources and hydraulic fracturing. Additionally, to
isolate the wellbore and protect these groundwater sources, multiple layers of steel and cement
are set into place under strict guidelines.

Colorado has some of the highest standards of regulations concerning oil and gas development
including, but not limited to, the 2008 rulemaking process, and the three rule makings in the
past two years regarding:
o Additive disclosure
o Groundwater testing
o Setbacks

Numerous officials in energy, environmental, and state departments indicate that hydraulic
fracturing can be performed safely:
o
Energy Secretary, Ernist Moniz: “I still have not seen any evidence of fracking per se
contaminating groundwater”
o
Former Head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson: “It can and should be done safely.” “I am not
aware of any proven case where the fracking process itself has affected water”
Last updated 9/10/13
o
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper: “You can’t harvest the mineral rights without
doing hydraulic fracturing, which I think we’ve demonstrated again and again can be
done safely.”

Numerous studies have been done by state and federal regulators, scientists, and other
watchdog groups to address concerns over water and air contamination, with all of them
refuting the notion that hydraulic fracturing causes groundwater contamination. Most recently,
the US Department of Energy found no correlation between hydraulic fracturing and water
contamination and recent data released indicates that the US is emitting less CO2 than it has in
20 years thanks to burning more natural gas and less coal.

Additionally, recent analysis in Erie, Colorado, indicates that emissions within the town and near
well heads do not pose a health risk.
o "The monitored concentrations of benzene, one of the major risks driving chemicals, are
well within acceptable limits to protect public health, as determined by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency," – Pinyon Environmental Inc.
A Ban is Not a Plan

Several Front Range communities are considering over-reaching bans or extended moratoria on
oil and gas development. This is a short term tactic to ban all oil and gas development.
Ultimately it is a distraction from constructive dialog about the potential impacts and benefits
from all forms of energy development, including oil and gas.

All Coloradoans and our visitors rely on oil and gas in various forms every day; it’s how we cook
our meals, enjoy Colorado’s parks and activities and provide our modern health care. In fact,
even our exciting and robust tourist economy is heavily supported by products of oil and gas
development. Not only does this industry provide gasoline for cars to travel everywhere from
the art museum to the mountains, but nearly all recreation equipment from carbon bicycles, to
water proof jackets, skis, shin guards and helmets, tents and even hiking boots can't be made
without oil and natural gas.

Banning “fracking” means higher energy prices. The working poor and the middle class will
suffer most under a regime that bans extraction of oil and gas. The shale revolution has saved
the poor billions of dollars spent to heat their homes and apartments. A recent report from IHS
found that the average American household gains $1,200 in disposable income thanks to
surging U.S. oil and natural gas production in the savings from utility bills and cheaper prices on
a number of services and goods. The plan to ban will disenfranchise the middle class by making
choices between every day necessities such as food, heat and medicine more difficult.

Oil and gas tax revenue streams are tied into the fabric of Colorado living, and provide
significant funding for road repairs, fire districts, school districts, parks, and many more services
that support our way of life. In 2012 alone, $1.6 billion went to state coffers from our industry,
with an estimated $500 million going directly to education.
Last updated 9/10/13

By placing a ban on hydraulic fracturing, 111,000 working men and women and their families are
being put at risk and it sends the message that Colorado is not open for business. This is not the
Colorado way.

Colorado is a safe harbor for open dialogue, reasonable regulations and responsible energy
development. We must implement a common sense approach to doing business in Colorado by
relying on scientific evidence and facts, not hyperbole, scare tactics or sensationalism. Sources
and real data and examples matter.

Natural gas is vital to our energy security and our energy plan moving forward:
o President Obama: fracked natural gas ‘can provide not only safe cheap power, but it can
only help reduce our carbon emissions.’
o
Natural gas burns 50% cleaner than coal, with much lower sulfur and nitrogen emissions
with none of the toxic mercury. It is the common sense choice for our base load power
switch
o
Carbon Dioxide emissions are at the lowest in 20 years, thanks largely in part to
switching from coal fired generation to natural gas.
o
Oil imports are at record lows, as the United States has options of producing at home,
and importing from stable nations, we can move away from volatility from supply
shocks and turmoil abroad.

Fundamentally, a ban on hydraulic fracturing is a ban on oil and gas development in
Colorado. And it begs the question: if not here then where?

Energy experts from fossil fuel and renewable backgrounds both agree that natural gas is the
best energy option for providing the needed backup for solar and wind for when the sun does
not shine and when the wind does not blow.

A drilling ban is an extreme option put forth by many national environmental groups, and it is
their goal to slow down domestic oil and gas production by implementing bans. They are
achieving this by using junk science and untrue claims. Our community should do its part to
help the nation meet its energy needs and wean ourselves from unstable regimes.
Last updated 9/10/13