Boulder County is seeking public feedback on the second draft of its updated oil and gas regulations in advance of their review in the coming months by the Planning Commission and county commissioners.
The regulations were revised in response to the passage of Senate Bill 19-181. Also known as “Protect Public Welfare Oil And Gas Operations,” the act “prioritizes public safety, health, welfare, and the environment in the regulation of the oil and gas industry by modifying the oil and gas statutes and by clarifying, reinforcing, or establishing various aspects of local governments' regulatory authority over the surface impacts of oil and gas development.”
“The county’s updated regulations provide for close scrutiny of all proposed oil and gas development and multiple opportunities for public input prior to any decision being made,” according to a news release. “For any new oil and gas development applications, these regulations will allow staff, the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners to consider site-specific circumstances and possible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts in determining whether to approve or deny a proposal.”
The revised regulations also “will help to ensure careful monitoring and enforcement over oil and gas operations, including existing oil and gas facilities,” according to the county.
The county moratorium on new oil and gas development and seismic testing will remain in place through Dec. 31 while the regulations are under review.
County staff through Nov. 20 will participate in the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission “Mission Change” rulemaking process, the timeline for which has been extended twice from Oct. 9 to Oct. 20 to Nov. 20.
The Planning Commission is set to review the proposed regulations starting Nov. 9, with county commissioners slated to review them starting Dec. 1.
The Planning Commission’s public hearing on the regulations, at which it will take comment, will be held virtually starting at 4 p.m. Nov. 9, with the hearing to continue at the same time Nov. 10, 17 and 19 if needed.
Commissioners will begin taking public testimony at 4 p.m. Dec. 1, continuing at the same time on Dec. 3, 10 and 15 as necessary.
Information on how to attend the virtual public meetings will be posted on the county’s Oil & Gas webpage after noon on Monday, according to the release. Any updates to the schedule also will be posted on the webpage, and people can sign up to receive notifications via email or text message.
Comments on the draft regulations, which can be viewed here, also can be emailed to [email protected].