Rapid and careless oil and gas development in Colorado is hurting wildlife, water quality and the health of people who live in the gas patch. New draft rules would protect our environment and human health in new ways. Government officials need to hear that we support the draft rules and want them to be even stronger.
WCC and two of our member groups have filed for party-status for the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission’s (COGCC’s) rule-making hearing scheduled from June 23 – 27. We will be represented by Western Resource Advocates and Earthjustice. Being a party to the rulemaking gives us the legal right to present testimony and expert witnesses and cross-examine other witnesses.
However, you — as an individual citizen — can submit your own comments on the draft rules. Comments must be sent by May 29 to Dave Neslin, Acting Director, COGCC, 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801, Denver CO 80203 or to dnr.ogcc@state.co.us
May 1, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I’m glad to see Delta County included in the drilling watch. Although we are not impacted as much as other areas to the north, it is important to stay on top of potential drilling development before it actually begins in order to minimize adverse impacts to residents and the environment.
May 1, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Besides Oil and Gas issues, we have a new problem with Energy Fuels Inc. planning on putting a uranium processing mill on 1,000 acers of beautiful Paradox Valley. See web links at http://www.independence.net/nuclear .
May 1, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Thank goodness that the WCC is being a watchdog for important environmental issues in western Colorado! We live in a beautiful area and need to be good stewards of the environment!
May 1, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for all the work and publicity-i’ll be submitting comments under the draft Rules…
May 2, 2008 at 1:14 pm
YAY ON NEW BLOG! PIPELINE VENTING VIDEO and BIG QUESTION MARK ON RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
Brenda and crew at WCC – I love the new blog and hope it will prove to be a useful communications tool for the on-line community striving to better protect the natural beauty and integrity of Colorado!
Congratulations and thanks!
I wanted to let folks know that we had a pipeline “venting” event occur out here on the 29th.
There is some question as to whether radioactive materials are used by this industry during the construction and weld-testing of pipelines and, or course, if they are used, we’d like to know IF they were used in this case and if so, whether they spewed out over the valley and we were exposed to them.
I have had no follow-up to this event, but I have a 20 second video clip I’ve posted on our own blog as we track the development of 40 + wells in our area.
It’s pretty scary-looking if anyone wants to check it out. We had no warning of this event and we thought it was a well that had blown just over the ridge!
PS – sorry the blog is so behind – I’m trying to get it caught up this week.
May 5, 2008 at 5:43 am
The natural gas industry seems like a wealthy adolescent, who when challenged to behave in any socially redeemable manor, goes into a significant pout. They have now succeeded in removing all barriers to selling their locally developed gas, and therefore receiving nationwide pricing. Why they continue to threaten to go elsewhere to develop other basins if we do not shut up and let them have what they want, seems a bit of a tantrum, especially in time of national energy crisis.
May 5, 2008 at 8:41 am
Interesting article in today’s Sentinel about the Oil and Gas barons spending tens of millions to defeat a severance tax increase in California that people supported before their specious media fear campaign began, and how we can look forward to the same barrage this fall if such a proposed increase makes it to the ballot. So while they make billions in quarterly profits, they are only willing to spend it to defeat attempts to minimally finance alternative fuels rather than putting any fraction of it into promoting 21st century energy sources. They are despicably unpatriotic modern-day Luddites, willing to delay new technology as long as possible to preserve their monopoly, no matter what the cost.