Senator Cory Gardner claims to love the environment.

He portrays himself as a Westerner who values public lands and protects the health of his constituents.

He says he recognizes that “outdoor recreation is a way of life in Colorado, and is a major economic driver for many communities.”

However, Sen. Gardner’s voting record proves him to value corporate profits above all else. He voted to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s Methane and Waste Prevention Rule, a regulation that was already saving taxpayers money and protecting public health. The Methane Rule will expand the successful rules enacted in Colorado to solve the regional problem of air pollution that crosses state lines by applying a consistent threshold to all states.

Sen. Gardner’s constituents in Southwest will not forget this vote. Voters will remember that he also voted for Scott Pruitt, Rick Perry, Rex Tillerson, Ryan Zinke, and to repeal the Stream Protection Rule and BLM’s Planning 2.0 Rule.

Three Republican senators – Maine’s Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona – joined with Democrats to block this effort to overturn the Methane Rule. I thank them. And I thank Senator Michael Bennet for standing with Coloradans to protect human health, the environment and our outdoor recreation economy.

Shame on you, Senator Cory Gardner, for valuing the profits of the oil and gas industry over the health and welfare of your constituents. I hope it weighs heavy on your conscience for a very long time.

Ellen Foster

Dolores