A virtual public meeting to discuss changes requested by the commissioners to Boulder County’s oil and gas regulations is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday.
No additional public testimony will be taken during the hearing. The commissioners will either adopt or request staff members make additional changes, according to the county’s oil and gas webpage.
The meeting will be held via Zoom and can be accessed here or by calling 833-568-8864 and using Webinar ID 161 503 8158#. For more information, email [email protected].
Last week, commissioners heard public comments on the proposed changes to the regulations and made their own suggested changes.
According to a county staff report, areas of particular interest in the draft regulations include:
- A 2,000-foot setback from homes and associated residential uses, school and child care centers.
- Strong air quality provisions, including a leak detection and repair program, reporting requirements and prompt repair of any discovered leaks.
- Careful review, including the use of outside experts, of the impacts threatened by proposed development, including for air emissions, water use, potential contamination, noise, odor, light, dust and traffic.
- County reviews of operator-submitted emergency preparedness and response plans.
- Enhanced and clarified reporting requirements for spills and accidents.
- Transportation standards requiring operations to mitigate any adverse impacts to roads and public infrastructure.
- A new permitting process for seismic testing activities.
- Protection of cultural and historic resources; recreational areas; scenic and rural character; agricultural land, including sensitive soils; wetlands, and other natural resources.
- Financial assurances in the form of financial status reporting, expanded insurance coverage requirements, and requirements for financial securities (bonds or letter of credit).
- Regulation of the abandonment or decommissioning of wells and pipelines.
- Waste management requirements.
- New provisions for enforcement, including inspections, fines and other penalties.
The planned changes are in response to Senate Bill 19-181. The bill “act prioritizes the protection of public safety, health, welfare, and the environment in the regulation of the oil and gas industry.”
The update process, initiated after the passage of Senate Bill 181, was twice delayed, once in March to the coronavirus pandemic putting a halt to in person meetings and again in September as rulemaking by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission continued.
The delays prompted the commissioners to extend a moratorium on oil and gas development in the county to Dec. 31.
