GAS WORKERS WARNED OF METH DANGERS

BATTLEMENT MESA - Methamphetamine use sent his little brother to
jail, and Richard Mumby of Grand Junction hopes his co-workers in
the natural-gas industry realize how addictive and disruptive the drug can be.

Mumby works for Nabors Drilling and attended a day-long
methamphetamine awareness presentation Wednesday in Battlement Mesa,
organized in part by EnCana Oil and Gas for employees of their 500
contractors and subcontractors.

Mumby told the crowd of approximately 250 people that his
30-year-old brother was due to be released from the Moffat County
Jail in Craig next month. He served time for methamphetamine use and
distribution, Mumby said.

"No matter what we did as a family, we couldn't be right," Mumby
said after the meeting. "He always did his own thing, and it sent
him to jail."

The presentation, by Lynn Reimer of the North Metro Task Force and
Thornton Police Department, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario and
others, used emotional video stories of former methamphetamine users
to get its message across about the dangers of the drug.

"This is the most addictive drug I've ever seen in my 20 years in
law enforcement," Vallario said. "Even worse, it's the most
dangerous thing. We want you to take this information out not just
to your co-workers, but tell your family and friends. I can't fight
this alone."

Mumby said he wished his entire family had seen the presentation.

"I have an 11-year-old girl, and my wife's pregnant," he said.
"Eight and a half years in the U.S. military, and to see what some
people do with their freedom ..."

EnCana spokeswoman Wendy Wiedenbeck said the presentation was in
place of a required safety meeting for the companies that work for
EnCana. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, Garfield County Human Services and others also
were involved, she said.

"We have a zero-tolerance policy" against drug use, Wiedenbeck said.
"We wanted to take a proactive approach, and hopefully these folks
will go home a little more educated and share the information."

Vallario said after the presentation he doesn't
think methamphetamine use by gas workers in the county is
any higher, per capita, than any other group.

"The wave has made it here for sure," he said. "But I'm not one of
those to blame the industry for the increase in meth. You have more
people and growth, and you're going to have more problems."