Colorado Springs business could be hurt by Proposition 112

A proposed statewide ballot measure to regulate the location of new oil and gas wells would have negative impacts on a longtime manufacturing business in Colorado Springs.

Springs Fabrication has been in business since 1986, and makes and services industrial machinery — some of which supplies the fracking industry.

Proposition 112 would require new wells to be at least 2,500 feet from other buildings and so-called sensitive areas.

President and CEO Tom Neppl said if 112 passes, it would hurt the entire Colorado economy and jeopardize the jobs of some of his 200 employees.

“There are about a dozen plants in the state like ours,” he said. “We provide equipment for other fields but most of what we do is for the fracking industry. If 112 passes, it would be devastating to us.”

The jobs pay up to $22 per hour and Neppl said more than half his workers specialize in oil and gas machinery.

“We’re just recovering from an industry slump that forced me to lose around 40 percent of my workforce,” he said.

Neppl said the passage of 112 could force manufacturers to take their technology to other states.

“We’re a leader in how we set up processing sites and mitigate noise,” he said. “I know the people who live near those sites don’t want them close by, but that’s outweighed by the billions of dollars fracking provides to our economy and to education. What would our state budget do without that money?”

The latest poll shows 52 percent of voters in support of the measure.