In Weld County, oil and gas isn’t just another industry—it’s the backbone of our economy and the foundation of countless family incomes. For decades, this sector has helped power not just our lives, but also fund our schools, our roads, and our local economy. That’s why the war being waged against it by the Polis administration and the Colorado legislature is more than just misguided—it’s dangerous.
Over the past several years, Colorado’s oil and gas producers have been buried under a mountain of red tape, bureaucratic meddling, and ever-changing rules that seem more about appeasing activists than actually protecting the environment. The Governor and his allies in the Capitol have decided to treat the hardworking folks in the energy industry as political scapegoats. And now, we’re all paying the price.
But this week, President Trump gave us a glimmer of hope—and a shot across the bow to overreaching states like ours.
On April 8, the White House issued an executive order titled Protecting American Energy from State Overreach. In plain terms, the order directs the federal government—particularly the U.S. Attorney General—to identify and challenge state laws and regulations that restrict, punish, or obstruct American energy production and transport. It reinforces that the federal government—not a patchwork of progressive state governments—holds primary authority over energy development when it crosses state lines or affects national energy policy.
The order specifically targets actions that discriminate against out-of-state producers, delay infrastructure projects, or weaponize the permitting process to strangle development. Sound familiar? It should. Colorado checks all those boxes.
This is the accountability we’ve been needing.
Under Governor Polis, Colorado has become a cautionary tale. Oil and gas producers in this state have faced everything from punitive fee hikes to convoluted permitting delays, all justified under vague language about “cumulative impacts” and “disproportionately impacted communities.” These concepts may sound noble on paper, but in practice, they’ve turned into a political bludgeon—deployed without clarity, without consistency, and certainly without fairness.
Take the rebranded Energy and Carbon Management Commission (formerly the COGCC). This unelected body has morphed from a neutral regulatory agency into an activist boardroom. They’ve imposed rule after rule that has severely hamstrung the industry, alarming investors and causing vital capitol to leave the state. The result? Permits are down, production is down, and so is state revenue.
We were told this would be better for Coloradans. So why are we now staring down a billion-dollar budget shortfall?
The truth is, the same legislature that gutted energy production also opened the floodgates on spending. They ballooned the budget on pet projects and subsidies for favored groups while kneecapping one of the largest revenue-producing industries in the state. The math doesn’t lie. Less oil and gas production means less severance tax, fewer jobs, and fewer dollars flowing to schools, counties, and local infrastructure. Weld County knows this firsthand. We’ve seen what responsible energy development can do for a community—and we’ve watched the state try to dismantle it piece by piece.
This executive order from the Trump administration could be the lifeline Colorado energy producers desperately need. It sends a clear message to overreaching states like Colorado: you don’t get to use your permitting process as a political weapon. You don’t get to sabotage national energy security to score points with lobbyists, environmental extremists and Boulder elites. And you don’t get to destroy jobs and livelihoods under the guise of “climate justice” without facing consequences.
It’s time Colorado was put under the microscope. Let the Attorney General’s office investigate how our state’s arbitrary and ideologically driven rules have violated constitutional commerce protections and suppressed lawful enterprise. Let them ask why we’re punishing rural counties like Weld while rewarding cities that benefit from the energy our producers still manage to deliver.
Here in Weld County, we still believe in the promise of American energy. We know that environmental responsibility and economic prosperity aren’t mutually exclusive. We’ve proven that oil and gas can coexist with agriculture, open space, and strong communities. We just need a state government that recognizes that instead of constantly undermining it. Polis, just get off our backs and watch Weld County produce the cleanest molecule of energy in the world.
That’s why as a County Commissioner and a proud Weld County native, I stand firmly with the Trump administration’s vision to unleash domestic energy. I fully support this executive order and its intent to rein in states like Colorado that have abused their authority. I believe Weld County—and all of Colorado—can thrive again if we restore common sense, reestablish balance, and return to the American principles of innovation, opportunity, and freedom.
The energy under our feet is a blessing. And it’s time we stop treating it—and the people who produce it—as a problem. This executive order is a welcome step toward restoring sanity to energy policy, and here in Weld County, we’re ready to help lead the way back.
(Sources: JPT, KUNC, Colorado Sun, EUCI, CPR)
