The Weld County Oil and Gas Energy Department (OGED) has named Brett Cavanagh as its new director, a move that comes after the department's previous head, Jason Maxey, transitioned to his role as Weld County Commissioner for District 1 this January. Cavanagh's appointment was formalized by the Weld County Board of Commissioners on Monday, as reported by Weld County.
"I'm excited to have Brett on board. We were looking for a director who would continue to look for ways to make our permitting processes efficient and effective while helping to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public," Commissioner Chair Kevin Ross stated, as obtained by Weld County, emphasizing the new director's capacity to build on the existing framework. Cavanagh's professional journey in the oil and gas sector spans over 16 years, covering roles in land, and transmission management as well as project management. Before his move to the public sector with OGED, his résumé includes stints at Western Midstream, formerly Anadarko, and Bear Peak Power LLC in Denver.
With an intricate understanding of Weld County's procedures for oil and gas location assessment and pipeline process assessments, Cavanagh is seen as being capably positioned to further streamline these operations. "Being able to see how the county's permitting process impacts companies is beneficial — to understand how it impacts companies from a planning and financial perspective. It's allowed me to see if and where our processes can be improved," Cavanagh said, as per Weld County, shedding light on his approach to the new role.
Though only officially appointed on Monday, Cavanagh has been getting up to speed since starting with the county on Oct. 1. During this time, he has reportedly been preparing for his responsibilities by working closely with Maxey to ensure a smooth transition, becoming acquainted with the administrative facets of the OGED directorship, as well as the department’s history established in August of 2019, after the board accepts 1041 Authority, which granted the county more control over local mineral resources. Furthermore, he had engaged with the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) on December 2, drafting a letter to them on behalf of OGED, according to Weld County.
