Boulder County Commissioners extend temporary moratorium on processing oil and gas development applications

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For Immediate Release
Nov. 17, 2016

Contacts:
Barb Halpin, Boulder County 
Commissioners’ Office, 303-441-1622

Kim Sanchez, Chief Planner,
Boulder County Land Use, 303-441-3930 

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.”

  • What:     Public Hearing on the temporary moratorium on processing oil and gas development applications (Note: Public Comment to be taken in written form only.) 
  • When:    Tuesday, Dec. 13, 11:30 a.m.
  • 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.