As stated here in an earlier post, the Martinez decision, if upheld by the Supreme Court, has major implications for all fossil fuel as well as hardrock mineral development in the state of Colorado. The Denver Post takes that concern several steps further: “[I]f this ruling were allowed to stand, its overly zealous protections could bedevil any number of industries, such as construction and agriculture.”
That is only one of the forceful conclusions expressed in the The Denver Post’s June 2, 2017 editorial. In stating its vigorous support for Attorney General Coffman’s appeal of the Martinez case to the Colorado Supreme Court, the Post comes on strong:
Using teenagers as plaintiffs, extremist opponents of oil and gas development are playing a clever shell game. By arguing that the state must elevate public and environmental protections in its extraction regulations, the activists are making an emotional appeal that vastly overlooks the real-world complexities at play.
The Post concludes: “We hope Coffman prevails.”
Spencer Fane will continue to monitor developments related to this case. Here is a link to the editorial:
This post was drafted by John Watson, an attorney in the Denver, CO office of Spencer Fane LLP. For more information, visit spencerfane.com.