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Committee advances three Energy and Carbon Management Commission nominees to consent calendar
Summary
The committee recommended reappointment of Jeffrey Robbins and John Messner and the appointment of Tricia Oth to the Energy and Carbon Management Commission, citing the commission's expanded role under SB19‑181 and recent rulemakings on cumulative impacts, produced water and community liaisons.
The Senate Transportation & Energy Committee on Oct. 12 moved three nominees for the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) toward final Senate consideration, placing the group on the consent calendar. The nominees were Jeffrey Robbins and John Messner (seeking additional terms) and Tricia Oth (a new appointee whose appointment took effect in July 2024).
Dan Gibbs, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, introduced the nominees and summarized the commission's expanded authorities. "The Energy and Carbon Management Commission is a professional commission charged with regulating ... oil and gas, deep geothermal resources, the capture and sequestration of carbon, and the underground storage of natural gas," Gibbs said.
Jeffrey Robbins, the commission’s chair, traced the commission's shift after Senate Bill 19‑181 from fostering development to regulating to protect public health, safety, welfare, wildlife and the environment. He cited the commission’s recent rulemakings: adoption of cumulative impacts regulations, rules to create community liaisons for disproportionately impacted communities, and rules to expand use of recycled produced water in oil and gas development. "I now seek reappointment because I want to continue in this important work," Robbins said.
John Messner, who holds the seat for land‑use and local government expertise, outlined numerous rulemakings the ECMC has adopted since 2020 including flow line, wellbore integrity, mission change, financial assurance, high‑priority habitat map updates, cumulative impacts, produced water, geothermal and carbon capture rules.
Tricia Oth described her 11 years at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment overseeing environmental health divisions and environmental‑justice engagement. She told the committee she stepped down from her CDPHE role when appointed to the commission.
After introductions and brief questions, the committee moved all three appointments forward with a favorable recommendation and placed them on the Senate consent calendar for final confirmation. Committee members praised the nominees’ experience implementing the commission’s expanded mandate.
Why it matters: ECMC regulates multiple emerging technologies and oil‑and‑gas activity across Colorado; its rulemakings affect public health protections, land use, produced water recycling and carbon sequestration policies.
What’s next: The nominations were added to the Senate consent calendar for final confirmation by the full Senate.
