Today marks the beginning of a cleaner, more sustainable future for communities throughout Colorado that have experienced the challenges of living near oil and gas development. As the professional commissioners of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) takes ownership of the process for reviewing and granting new oil and gas permits, Western Colorado Alliance remains committed to our vision of promoting resident leaders to help their communities become more healthy, just, and self-reliant. Thanks to the tenacity and dedication of our members, the COGCC heard the concerns of everyday Coloradans, and have responded with robust, protective rules that once again exhibit Colorado’s leadership in the managed decline of the fossil fuel industry.

As we turn the page to 2021, so too will our Alliance turn to the lingering issues of financial assurances and reclamation. The professional commission thus far has done an excellent job of not only protecting public health, but also our wildlife and biological resources, as our friends at Rocky Mountain Wild demonstrate with their interactive story map showcasing how the new rules protect Colorado’s flora and fauna from oil and gas development. We look forward to continuing to work with the COGCC, local governments, and community leaders to ensure transparency and compliance with these new measures, and to continue our progress toward a brighter future for Western Colorado.