Ritter pushes pipeline

DENVER — Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is urging federal officials to quickly certify the proposed Ruby Pipeline, which would cut through northeastern Utah.

A lack of pipeline capacity is one of the reasons for the slowdown in Colorado's natural-gas industry. Other factors are plunging gas prices and tight credit.

Ritter sent a letter Thursday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission saying a lack of pipelines means that gas produced in Colorado sells for less than in other areas.

Ritter asked the commission to expedite approval of the pipeline.

Houston-based El Paso Corp. and partners want to build the $3 billion Ruby Pipeline from Opal, Wyo., to Malin, Ore., near California's northern border. The pipeline would carry 1.5 billion cubic feet a day of natural gas from the Rockies and is scheduled for completion in 2011.