The Longmont City Council Tuesday night is scheduled to discuss ongoing efforts by local operators to abandon oil and gas facilities impacting Longmont.
The discussion of the Master Contract with Top Operating Co., and the site relinquishment and lease agreement with Top as well as Cub Creek Energy will take place in an executive session.
Executive sessions take place behind closed doors without the public or press present.
A site relinquishment agreement was developed in 2018 between the city and Cub Creek Energy and Top Operating Co. according to a city of Longmont news release. Under the agreement, the local operators plugged and abandoned eight existing oil and gas facilities and withdrew force pooling applications and relinquished the right to drill up to 80 permitted oil and gas wells at locations around Union Reservoir, the news release states.
In return for Cub Creek’s agreement to keep oil and gas surface operations outside city limits, the city agreed to use oil and gas royalties to provide financial compensation to TOP Operating once all of the provisions of the agreement are met, the news release states.
The agreement also prohibits TOP Operating and Cub Creek Energy from applying for or conducting oil and gas operations anywhere in the city.
During the regular session, council members are scheduled to receive an update on the fire recovery efforts for the Calwood Fire.
The Left Hand Watershed Center is taking a significant role in forest stewardship efforts in the St. Vrain Creek watershed as well as helping with the Calwood Fire recovery, the staff report states.
