Erie votes against ban on oil and gas permits; will continue negotiations

Erie's Board of Trustees late Tuesday voted 4-3 against a proposal to impose a ban on processing local oil and gas-related permits in the town north of Denver. Following the vote, Erie Mayor Trina Harris — who had favored the ban — directed the town's staff to continue negotiating with Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) on new Memorandums Of Understanding (MOUs) that would govern the companies' operations in the town. Before the vote Harris said she wanted the…