This letter to the editor appeared in the Times-Call on August 31, 2018.
Democrats continue to tolerate a state government with two conflicting legal mandates — protecting our health and environment while promoting the toxic process of fracking.
Our Democratic governor as well as the Boulder County Commissioners have always had the option of filing a federal legal action to cause the oil and gas industry to cease fracking until they prove it is safe, and of course all evidence points to it being unsafe. Such a lawsuit would be preemptive and likely to succeed. The Boulder Commissioners have instead concocted a lawsuit that gives us money after the damage is done. The Democrats on the Lafayette City Council similarly have this federal lawsuit option available. Both the County Commissioners and the Lafayette City Council refuse to consider reasonable legal action that would be preemptive.
In the midst of these sellout choices we have a state representative race between Democrat, Sonya Lewis and Independent, Theresa Stets. Despite my urging, Lewis won’t step an inch beyond the sellout choices of establishment Democrats. Theresa Stets, on the other hand is promoting a community rights legal approach. This is a new, preemptive legal strategy which has not failed in courts where the decision was based upon the merits of the Community Rights legal argument. It should be noted that this strategy has failed where the court’s ruling strayed from the argued merits presented by the Community Rights side. I am tired of business as usual which is taking us toward a climate disaster. MORE…