Colorado members of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the state’s and nation’s leading small business advocacy association, are resoundingly clear about a proposed ban on oil and gas drilling permits—No! 

Senate Bill 159 would ban the issuance of all oil and gas drilling permits starting Jan. 1, 2030. Unique among business associations, NFIB polls its membership on state and federal issues, the results from which center NFIB’s lobbying positions in Denver and in Washington, D.C. 

In a special, one-question poll, asking Colorado members, “Should Colorado ban oil and gas drilling by 2030?” The response came back 98% ‘No;’ the remaining voted either ‘Yes’ or were undecided. 

SB24-159 will receive its first hearing March 14 in the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee at 1:30 p.m. in Room SCR 352. 

Of the 75 issues of concern to small business owners measured every four years by NFIB’s Small Business Problems & Priorities report, electricity costs ranked 16th and the cost of natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil ranked 19th—for the latter, an almost double increase from the previous quadrennial report. 

“It’s not difficult to imagine the incalculable negative consequences of shutting down our energy-producing industry,” said Tony Gagliardi, NFIB’s Colorado state director, “2030 is a little more than five years away. Can anyone say for certain whether the electronic infrastructure expected to take its place will be ready by then? Economic havoc is not the way to a cleaner environment.”