Mesa County Commissioner Craig Meis will attack the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s recently released proposed rules on energy development as inconsistent with the Legislature’s mandate allowing the rule-making.

According to a series of pre-rule-making motions filed this week by the county, Meis will argue the proposed rules “increase the time to process a (drilling) permit over that presently experienced.”

That fact, the statement argues, goes above and beyond the mandates the Legislature provided in 2007’s House Bills 1298 and 1341.

The county’s statement, prepared by County Attorney Lyle Dechant, says the county is cautiously optimistic it will be able to work with the commission to change the rules.

The county’s position, which is consistent with criticisms leveled by some state lawmakers, contrasts sharply with the Department of Natural Resources’ position that the proposed rules will streamline the process for energy companies to receive drilling permits.

According to the oil and gas commission, drilling permits could be issued in as few as 30 days to 70 days, depending on where the drilling will take place. Under the commission’s current rules, drilling permits take an average of 65 days to reach operators.

Deb Frazier, spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources, said the new rules actually “expedite and streamline” the process.

The county, according to its statement, also plans to support the oil and gas commission’s proposed rules to prohibit drilling within 500 feet of, or five miles upstream of, public water supplies, including municipal watersheds.

The county also plans to raise the issue of how the final rules could interact with county land-use codes and other local regulations.

The county will get a chance to make its first in-person pitch to the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission on May 22, when the commission begins its rule-making hearings.

The final rules are expected out by mid-July.

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E-mail Mike Saccone at msaccone@gjds.com.