County Commissioners extend temporary moratorium on processing oil and gas development applications
Public hearing scheduled for Dec. 13 to consider status of moratorium. Written comments only requested ahead of the 12/13 public hearing.
(Boulder County, Colo.) -- On Nov. 17, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution (Resolution 2016-130) formalizing an extension of the temporary moratorium on processing oil and gas development applications through January 2017.
At a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 11:30 a.m., the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will consider the status of the extended temporary moratorium and whether to terminate or further extend the moratorium.
On account of the fact that the County Commissioners just held an in-person public hearing on Tuesday (Nov. 15) to collect verbal comments on the subject of oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County, public comment for the Dec. 13 hearing will taken in written form only.
“We appreciate all
of the public input and hard work that has already gone into developing a set
of draft regulations to address the adverse public health and safety impacts of
oil and gas development in our community,” said Boulder County Commissioners Chair Elise Jones. “However, despite the extensive work and long
hours, we must ensure that we have the absolute best protections in place
before we can move forward.”
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What: Public Hearing on the temporary moratorium
on processing oil and gas development applications (Note: Public Comment to be
taken in written form only.)
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When: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 11:30 a.m.
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Where: Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325
Pearl St., Boulder (map and directions)
Written comment may be emailed to: oilgascomment@bouldercounty.org.
Comments may also be sent via U.S. Mail, or dropped off at the Commissioners’
Office, 3rd Floor, 1325 Pearl Street in Boulder. The public is encouraged to provide input on issues related to the final set of regulations (to be posted on the Oil and Gas Development webpage) that might impact the length of the moratorium.
Background
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Board of County Commissioners held
a 6-hour public hearing on DC-16-0004 Amendments to Oil and Gas Development
Regulations.
Following the Nov. 15 public testimony and discussion, the
BOCC gave direction to staff to further investigate specific public health and
safety issues related to oil and gas development operations, and to pursue
changes to the Draft oil and gas Regulations before the BOCC acts to adopt
them.
Since staff would not have been able to complete the requested
work by Friday, Nov. 18, the date on which the existing moratorium was set to expire,
the BOCC extended
the moratorium on an emergency basis.
At the Dec. 13 public hearing, staff will provide an estimate of the time needed to complete the requested research and develop amendments to the proposed regulations.
For more
information about the county’s role in oil and gas development, visit the
county’s Oil and Gas Development webpage.
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