by Frank Smith, WCC Director of Organizing

Earlier this week, the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) decided just how far oil & gas should be from homes.

Starting August 1, 2013, a 500-foot buffer zone will be encouraged around homes and a 1,000-foot “no drill zone” will be placed around hospitals, schools, churches or public buildings.  New rules establish higher standards for noise, limit air pollution, and discourage construction of “waste pits” that typically hold drilling or fracking chemicals.  There are also new requirements for public notice to residents living near oil & gas proposals.

New rules, however, offer loopholes, waivers and exceptions.  Already-established oil & gas sites can remain in operation close to homes, even if new wells would be drilled or fracked in the future.  Industrial locations can still be closer than 500ft from a home–if a company asks the COGCC Director or goes through an additional agency process.  Also, oil & gas companies will have an easier time getting waivers in rural parts of Colorado versus populated urban areas.

Since spring 2012, WCC and its members have pushed for at least 1,000ft buffer zones around homes. The oil & gas industry, land developers and local governments friendly to oil & gas, pushed hard to discredit impacted citizens and scientific studies brought forth by WCC.   In fact, oil & gas even tried to stop our witnesses from testifying.  During the multi-month process, we traveled to Denver and testified before the COGCC to call for increased protection of public health, safety and quality of life.  We called for state-wide rules that would protect rural areas equal to populated cities.  We asked for notice of oil & gas proposals to nearby residences and sought “legal standing” for those citizens who could be impacted by pending oil & gas permitting decisions.

We are dissappointed by the new setback rule, even though some steps forward may have been taken.  State regulators are boasting, but now is the time, as the Denver Post states, for the Colorado General Assembly to consider moving rigs back.

Stay Tuned! For more information, contact Frank Smith at frank@westerncoloradoalliance.org or (970) 256-7650