Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

In Colorado, a Ballot Measure to End All the Anti-Fracking Ballot Measures

Inside Climate News: In the wake of helping defeat two recent ballot measures that could have reined in fracking in Colorado, the state's oil and gas industry is leading a campaign to sharply limit future citizen initiatives.

A so-called Raise the Bar question will be asked on the Colorado ballot on Nov. 8. It is being promoted as a way to make the controversial process of amending the state constitution more fair. But as the proponents' motto implies, Amendment 71 would increase the hurdles for citizen activists seeking to change Colorado's constitution through ballot initiatives. And with the energy industry contributing 74 percent of the $4.2 million raised for the Raise the Bar drive, fracking foes say it is clear that one goal is to stop any citizen effort to bring drilling regulation questions to the voters.

Read article