WHAT YOU CAN DO

! Arapahoe County Public Works & Development Open House !

Saturday, June 21, 2023
4:30pm-7:30pm

Arapahoe County Fairgrounds

25690 E. Quincy Ave.

Aurora, CO  80016

Open House to learn about the Phase 1 amendments to the County’s oil and gas regulations.  Additional oil and gas rules will be drafted for Phase 2 amendments later this year.

The draft amendment includes the following topics:

1. One-mile setbacks from existing and planned reservoirs;

2. Access road standards to match current fire code standards;

3. Alternative emergency access roads for pads located in areas with only one way in and one way out;

4. Handwashing supplies for workers at oil and gas sites;

5. Allow natural gas-powered cryptocurrency mining as an accessory use to oil and gas facilities; and

6. Additional application information, including a project narrative, photo simulations and documentation of floodplain, wetlands and riparian area boundaries.

7. Operation of oil and gas facilities in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

The full text of the draft Phase 1 rules, within the existing rules, are posted on the County’s Oil & Gas webpage at www.arapahoegov.com/oilandgas.

Join us on Wednesday, June 21st for the opportunity to voice your concerns about the drafted oil and gas rules!  

COGCC PRELIMINARY PUBLIC COMMENT

Because members of the public have been very vocal in expressing concerns about the Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) drilling plan, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has done something unusual: A preliminary public comment period! This speaks volumes to the energy that all of you have put into this effort to make the local community perspective heard.

Caveat: the preliminary comments will be separate from the formal public comments, which will happen later. Please use our written comments portal so your comment can be submitted on your behalf both during the preliminary comment opportunity AND during the future official 60-day public comment period. That way, if life happens and affects your capacity to engage, you can count on your comments also being entered during the formal public comment period. (You can still submit additional comments during the formal public comment period.) 

Here is a comments guidance document containing talking points, ideas, and information for comments.

HB23-1294 Pollution Protection Measures could directly affect the Lowry Ranch fracking project ! 

Last week, a powerful bill was introduced to address the dangerous ozone problem in our state. It's high time we take action to improve our laws and protect our communities from this harmful pollutant.

HB23-1294 “Pollution Protection Measures” will prioritize assessing and addressing the air quality impacts of permitting new sources of pollution in our communities, especially oil and gas wells. Further, this bill will ensure that the various state agencies that address oil and gas and air quality will communicate with each other, sharing vital data between siloes. Lastly, this bill will increase and improve public engagement in the permitting process, ensuring the state takes the necessary precautions to include community input in decisions that affect our health and wellbeing. Factsheet about HB23-1294 here. 

But Governor Polis has already gone so far as to recommend his own, weaker policy in order to distract legislators from this important bill. And he is threatening to veto HB23-1294.

This week at the Capitol, we need all the help we can get to encourage our legislators to hold firm and to pass this important policy! Take these actions:

ACTION #1: Email your state legislators now to protect our health and stand up against big polluting industries including oil & gas

Send one-click letter to legislators

ACTION #2: Show up this Friday, April 21 to stand up to Jared Polis and his attempts to leave our communities vulnerable to oil and gas pollution! We will be joining forces with Cultivando for the Our Health > Cheap Gasoline rally! 

• Date:  this Friday, April 21

• Time:  11:00 AM

• Location:  State Capitol in Denver, West Steps, 200 E Colfax (map)

See you at the rally! Colorado Rising