Craig Daily Press / Chamber board takes political stance for its members

March 14, 2008

Energy, it turned out, wasn’t the lone issue the Craig Chamber of Commerce board considered Thursday.

Chamber Board President Bryce Jacobson, who also is the Daily Press publisher, sent a signed letter to the Colorado Wildlife Commission opposing a petition to ban shooting at live animals as targets. Wild Earth Guardians, a national conservation group, submitted the petition.

The Wildlife Commission selected to allow the issue to go through its normal three-step review process at its Thursday meeting.

That initial approval constituted the first step, with the next two occurring during the Wildlife Commission’s next public meetings in May and July.

During its May meeting, which will be in Grand Junction, commissioners expect to review draft regulations prepared to address the petition.

The decision to move the issue into the review process does not mean the Wildlife Commission endorsed any aspect of the original petition, said Brett Ackerman, Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations coordinator.

“This is in no way an endorsement,” Ackerman said. “This is just a step so that there will be more conversation about the issue.”

The public will be allowed to testify at both upcoming meetings. They also can provide comments to the Wildlife Commission through e-mail — at wildlife.comm@state.co.us — or by mail at: Colorado Wildlife Commission, c/o Policy and Regulations Section, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216.

Jeff Comstock, Moffat County Natural Resources Department director, appeared at Thursday’s Wildlife Commission meeting in opposition and said he plans to follow the case.

The Wild Earth Guardians petition — which was a legal argument, not a collection of signatures — argued that examples of prairie dog hunting did not meet the legal or moral definitions of hunting.

Jacobson disagreed, writing any new policies on prairie dogs should include scientific studies, “taking into account actual practices, not exaggerated examples of misuse,” and allowances for private property owners.

“Any policy regarding prairie dog hunting must include provisions that allow private property owners the ability to control nuisance animals that affect farming and grazing,” the letter read.

Craig — The Craig Chamber of Commerce is not limited to direct services as far as its members are concerned.

“We really want to give our members the feeling we’re watching their backs,” Executive Director Christina Currie said.

The Chamber board voted unanimously to oppose two bills passed by the Colorado Legislature last year, House Bills 1298 and 1394, which mandate the state include wildlife and public health concerns in energy lease reviews.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission released a pre-draft of proposed rules that would meet those requirements last year and will release a newer draft at the end of March.

The board voted to oppose regulations in the pre-draft plan that negatively affect private property rights and energy industry viability, Currie said after the meeting.

“Most people on the Western Slope and the Eastern Plains are offended on the rules coming out of this” pre-draft, Currie said.

The pre-draft included provisions giving neighboring landowners some authority with energy leases on their neighbor’s private property and a provision for the state to oversee private property leases.

Board member Gene Bilodeau expressed concern that the board would vote to oppose something they haven’t yet read. He did, however, make the motion that the Chamber oppose the Conservation Commission’s pre-draft rules as they’re currently written.

Eventually, Currie responded, saying she would like the board to establish policies on political issues, such as opposing any state legislation that would add energy industry regulations or, on a related note, opposing any legislation that would redistribute severance tax revenue to areas of the state unaffected by energy development.

Currie plans to draft an opposition letter for board members to sign, which will use the Moffat County Commission’s letter as a model.

Moffat County Commissioner Saed Tayyara, who attended the meeting as the Chamber’s ex officio, supported the Chamber’s vote. The energy industry, he said, brings thousands of jobs to the state and is worth about $23 billion.

“This is nothing but a tactic to delay the process and a scare tactic that creates problems for Northwest Colorado,” Tayyara said.

Collin Smith can be reached at 875-1794 or cesmith@craigdailypress.com