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Commissioners said Thursday that failed legislative efforts to crack down on oil and gas, as well as increases in rural renewable energy standards were "the straws that broke the camel's back."

Conway told the Tribune that Weld County's main economic drivers, agriculture and energy, are under attack, even though those sectors contribute significantly to the state's economy. He said the county's return on its financial contributions to the state are minimal.

Commissioners are also concerned about the lack of funding for infrastructure and education and believe the split would allow them to leverage financial investments from energy companies in the region, the newspaper reported.

Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., whose district would be included in the split, said in a statement last week that he is sympathetic to the commissioners' concerns and doesn't blame them for wanting to form a new state, The Tribune reported.

"The people of rural Colorado are mad, and they have every right to be," Gardner said. "The governor and his Democrat colleagues in the statehouse have assaulted our way of life, and I don't blame these people one bit for feeling attacked and unrepresented by the leaders of our state."
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and with the Democrat legislature policies not allowing them to access the oil in their counties

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A group of rural rednecks trying to form their own small state that will hardly have any population and call it North Colorado?

I don't think the Obama Government would approve of that (and the creation of a State requires the signing of the US President himself). So I can't see it happen (it will mean a guaranteed 3 votes for the GOP).

I think Puerto Rico and DC will become states before this small confederation.

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Yeah, split it. Here in the Balkans we have long splitting traditions and we can assure you that it always works nicely for the population... Oh wait, this is a federation so the new state will stay under the federal government's umbrella so they can cry to it in case something goes wrong. Do carry on with the bold act please.

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AKRON, Colo. (CBS4) – There’s a growing effort to create a 51st state out of parts of northeast Colorado.

Ten counties, including Weld and Morgan, started talking about seceding last month. Now some people Lincoln and Cheyenne counties say they want to join a new state they’d call “North Colorado.”

Organizers of the secession effort say their interests are not being represented at the state Capitol. Representatives from the 10 counties held a meeting on Monday in the town of Akron in Weld County to begin mapping the boundaries for the new state they say will represent the interests of rural Colorado.

The secessionist movement is the result of a growing urban-rural divide, which was exacerbated after this year’s legislation session where lawmakers raised renewable energy standards for rural electric co-ops, floated bills increasing regulations on oil and gas, and passed sweeping gun control.

The creation of a new state comes with risks. A new state would have to draw up new water agreements which are critical to agriculture and uses 85 percent of Colorado’s water. Supporters say it also comes with new opportunities.

“I say 80 percent of the oil and gas revenue in the state of Colorado is coming out of northeastern Colorado – Weld, Yuma County, and some of other counties,” Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway said. “Seventy percent of the K-12 funding is coming off the state lands in Weld County alone. I’m telling you we are economic drivers.”

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County commissioners also discussed a backup plan should breaking away from the state not prove feasible. It involves changing the makeup of the state Senate. Rather than the current 35 Senate districts, each of the 64 counties would have its own senator.

“We need to figure out way to re-enfranchise the people who feel politically disenfranchised now and ignored,” Conway said.

None of it will be easy. To change the Senate takes a ballot imitative. To form a new state, approval is needed from not only voters but the Colorado General Assembly and U.S. Congress.

In addition, organizers say three other Colorado counties and two in Kansas have said they may join the secession movement. They hope to put the idea to voters as early as this November.

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So the state is Blue, and the Blues are running it into the ground

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