DENVER, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Oil and gas drilling companies in Colorado placing wildlife protection as a priority will see a faster, streamlined permit process, authorities say.
On Tuesday Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter and several energy companies unveiled deals designed to minimize harm to wildlife from drilling across 554 square miles of western Colorado, The Denver Post reported Wednesday.
State regulators said that by consulting with wildlife officials on how to prevent or mitigate harm, gas and oil companies can get approval for thousands of wells expedited.
"We're glad that wildlife mitigation plans have been negotiated. We're hopeful they will minimize adverse impacts on wildlife," said Suzanne O'Neill, executive director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation.
Some of the energy companies that have negotiated 10 signed deals with the state over the past 18 months include Exxon Mobil Corp., Encana Oil & Gas, Williams Production, Marathon Oil Co., Noble Energy Inc. and Black Hills Exploration & Production, the Post said.
The deals aimed for "a viable drilling program that, at the same time, protects habitat and minimizes impacts," Encana spokesman Doug Hock said.
At the Capitol, Ritter took aim at critics of Colorado's regulatory system.
"All the time they were politicizing it, we were working with industry to get to today," Ritter said.
