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Local Control Colorado
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| Local Control Colorado | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Type: | Nonprofit coalition |
| Year founded: | 2014 |
| Website: | Official website |
| Promoted policies | |
| Oppose hydraulic fracturing | |
Local Control Colorado was a coalition of grassroots organizations aimed at limiting hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Colorado. The organization filed an initiative for a statewide ballot measure on February 21, 2014, in order to allow local governments to place limits on fracking within their communities. The coalition filed to dismiss the initiative in May 2014.[1][2]
Mission
Local Control Colorado sought to give local governments in Colorado the authority to limit fracking within their communities. The organization had the following mission statement:[3][1]
| “ | While Oil and Gas Development becomes more prevalent in our Colorado communities, current state legislation is failing to represent the will and best interests of the people. A growing body of evidence suggests hydraulic fracturing and other highly industrial processes are associated with severe health impacts, lowered property values and contamination of our air and water.
The time has come for Coloradans to take a stand for the health and safety of our communities. This is our Colorado and we must preserve our right to protect our families, properties and way of life.[4][5] |
” |
Background
Local Control Colorado coalesced and launched its website in February 2014. The coalition was made up of individuals, grassroots movements and nonprofit organizations including:[3]
- Citizens for a Healthy Fort Collins
- Our Broomfield
- Frack Free Colorado
- Protect Our Loveland
- Our Longmont
- Boulder County Citizens for Community Rights
- 350 Colorado
- Food and Water Watch
- Citizens for a Healthy Community
- Pikes Peak Alliance for the Future
Work
Local Control Colorado filed a proposed statewide ballot measure in February 2014. The initiative, titled #82 Local Control of Oil and Gas Development, sought to grant local governments in Colorado the authority to limit or ban fracking in their communities. Supporters of the initiative championed the effort a grassroots movement for increased local control while detractors claimed that the proposal was an attempt to institute a statewide fracking ban. Lauren Fronckiewicz, a leader of the coalition, penned an op-ed for The Denver Post in support of Local Control Colorado and other local control efforts across the state.[3][6][7]
In order for the initiative to appear on the November 2014 ballot, the group was required to collect 86,105 signatures by August 2014. Though coalition leaders asserted that the group had no financial backing, activists were optimistic about obtaining the required number of signatures through volunteer efforts.[3][8]
In May 2014, Local Control Colorado filed a motion with the Colorado Supreme Court to dismiss the proposed ballot initiative due to the measure's ineffective, "watered down" language. Coalition leaders argued that the finalized language of the ballot measure would ultimately fail to achieve the group's goals.[2][9]
Leadership
As a nonprofit coalition, Local Control Colorado did not have a formal leadership structure.
The ballot proposal listed Laura Fronckiewicz and Kelly Giddens as "principal proponents"of the initiative. Fronckiewicz played a role in the movement to limit fracking in Broomfield, Colo., and Giddens was a leader in a similar movement in Fort Collins, Colo. The ballot proposal also listed Suzanne Spiegel as a supporter.[1][3][10]
A spokeswoman for the organization, Kaye Fissinger, helped institute the fracking ban in Longmont, Colo.[1]
Finances
In a February 2014 interview, Fronckiewicz stated that Local Control Colorado did not have outside financial support and relied solely on volunteer efforts. However, opponents noted that the coalition was partnered with Food and Water Watch, a financial supporter of efforts to limit or ban fracking across the country.[3][11][12]
Media
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Local Control Colorado. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Fracking
- Fracking in Colorado
- Colorado Community Rights Network
- Colorado Local Regulation of Oil and Gas Amendment (2014)
- Colorado Right to Local Self-Government Amendment (2014)
- Food and Water Watch
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 KGNU Denver/Bouder, "Fracking in Colorado," February 21, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Denver Business Journal, "A ballot proposal targeting Colorado's oil and gas industry is withdrawn," May 7, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 The Colorado Independent, "Colorado ballot initiative aims to give local governments say on fracking," February 24, 2014
- ↑ Local Control Colorado, "Our mission," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Colorado Peak Politics, "Wolves among us: the four things you need to know about Local Control Colorado," February 26, 2014
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Will Colorado be fracking for China?" April 26, 2014
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Colorado communities push back as state leaders laud air rules," February 25, 2014
- ↑ Colorado Supreme Court, "In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2013-2014 #82," May 13, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBallot - ↑ Energy in Depth, "Food & Water Watch reboots fringe campaign for Colorado energy ban," February 24, 2015
- ↑ Energy Policy Center at the Independence Center, "Senate Committee report on billionaires and eco-left activism in Colorado draws on II research," August 12, 2014
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