Commissioners choose profits over people

County Commissioners in Garfield and Mesa counties recently sent letters urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to move forward with more than 300 new oil and gas leases across Colorado—covering over 13,000 acres in Garfield County and another 700 acres in Mesa County. They claim these leases will bring “economic stability” and “support local services.” But what they’re really asking for is more drilling near our homes, schools, and neighborhoods—especially in areas where Latino and working-class families live. 

These leases would expand oil and gas operations that already surround communities in Garfield and Mesa counties, as well as across other counties on the Western Slope of Colorado. This isn’t about stability. It’s about choosing industry profits over people’s health.

For decades, Latino and immigrant families have built their lives in Western Colorado, working in various sectors, like agriculture and construction. When commissioners push the BLM to approve even more leases without strong environmental review, they are inviting more pollution into the air our children breathe.

Oil and gas drilling doesn’t just scar the landscape—it harms people. Each new well brings diesel exhaust, chemical emissions, and methane leaks that increase smog and raise health risks. State health studies indicate that people living within a half-mile of active wells face higher risks of asthma, nosebleeds, headaches, and even cancer. 

These impacts fall hardest on Latino and low-income families who live closest to industrial zones. 

Many of the Latino and low-income families in the Western Slope lack access to affordable healthcare and have fewer opportunities to make their voices heard. When county leaders side with oil companies instead of protecting clean air, they are deciding whose health matters and whose doesn’t.

Leaders in Mesa and Garfield counties are making decisions that affect thousands of families without listening to those most impacted.

The Colorado Latino Policy Agenda shows that over 70% of Latino voters in Colorado see air pollution and climate change as serious problems, and most want the state to transition away from fossil fuels. Our local leaders should reflect that vision, not undermine it.

We can create jobs without poisoning our air. Investing in renewable energy, clean transportation, and sustainable industries will bring lasting stability—without sacrificing our health.

Our communities deserve leaders who stand with families, not fossil fuel companies—leaders who understand that our health, our children, and our future are worth far more than another lease.