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Who are we?
We are the Colorado Grassroots “What the Frack?” Commission: a fast growing and informal grassroots group concerned with issues related to fracking in Colorado.
Membership requirements:
You must be a water drinking, air-breathing, tax paying Coloradan, who looks forward to continuing to breathe clean air and drink clean water in Colorado, eat healthy Colorado grown food, and enjoy the great Colorado outdoors.
How do I become a “What the Frack?” Colorado Commissioner?
No appointment necessary. Show up. Stand up. See our website for events. Create your own event.
What do we want?
Basically, a decent and sustainable future for Colorado.
Water security for current and future Coloradans: Scientists tell us our semi-arid state is in for prolonged future drought and water shortages. Today’s seemingly unlimited fracking is using up our future water supply.
Clean water and clean air for Colorado citizens, livestock, crops, flora, and wildlife. Health and quality of life means no fracking close to Colorado towns, wildlife areas, tourist areas, farms/ranches, headwaters, waterways, and aquifers.
An end to the era of Frackers Gone Wild and the severely under-regulated and seemingly unlimited fracking now going on across Colorado.
Federal and state regulations that hold oil and gas companies accountable for cleanup costs, damages costs, remediation costs, road costs — so that individuals and taxpayers are not left holding the bag in case of spills, accidents, water contamination, etc. The oil and gas industry must be held accountable for environmental and health protections at the front end of their projects.
Oil and Gas policy guided by processes designed to maximize the common good for all of us, rather than profits for a few. This means a transparent process open to the public with core scientific input from: environmental scientists (specializing in air, water, soil and biological species), climate scientists (specializing in water, atmosphere, population needs, and mitigating climate change from global warming), and public health scientists (specializing in acute and long-term health and safety for humans and animals).
Policy that includes long-term planning for the future, specifically taking into account climate change, which is, according to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the largest challenge face by our country and planet, and subject to an irreversible tipping point unless a strong and informed energy policy emerges soon.
How can I participate effectively to work for needed changes?
This is all grassroots and depends solely upon you and me.
Check the website periodically to find out about new events or projects. If the site has petitions posted, circulate and/or link to them. Share what you find interesting with your friends and link to the site. Suggest events or projects via email or arrange to post your events and projects on the website. Share your personal experiences with fracking on our site.
Email us to arrange to post fracking news for your area of Colorado on the website, including links to YouTube postings from your community about fracking (especially video testimonies of people in your area who can talk about how they have been fracked by fracking). Email us interesting/helpful links or tools to post. Let us know if you’d like to be emailed about upcoming events.
Help promote awareness of changes needed through any and all media you are comfortable with (email, posters, twitters, Facebook, meeting, conversations, art shows, public poetry, music, flash mob happenings, etc.).
Get the word out in you community. Hold a meeting on the Other Side of Fracking. You could start by showing the documentary film “Gasland” in your home or local library and discussing it (but first go to the “Gasland” official website and read their reply to the feeble criticisms of the film by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, so that you will be familiar with that and can answer those criticisms). Other documentary films about fracking: “All Fracked Up” (and new hard-hitting film that shows hydro-fracking is an extreme technology used to obtain extreme energy), “Frack”, “Frack Attack”, “Split Estate”.
Follow Ghandi’s advice: get creative to “Be the change you wish to see in this world”.
Fracking Colorado 
There are several groups out there that have been working to halt drilling in their areas. It would be good for all these groups to unite and work towards State Legislation that protects our water (well, drinking, surface, aquifers, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, ponds, creeks, etc) from poor and bad Fracking Fluids. Please join our Google group
concerned-about-park-county-gas-drilling@googlegroups.com
The South Park Coalition has been working with Be The Change to make sure people see and discuss “Gasland” and public discussion with a former EPA whistle blower on Fracking. Let’s Unite and grow this movement all over Colorado. Together We Can BE THE CHANGE
Posted by scj | June 24, 2011, 9:14 pmHi there What the Frack! I’m working w/Citizens for Huerfano County/Huerfanos Against Fracking (on facebook) and agree, we need to unite all the CO groups to have a bigger voice in calling for reform. Given that Hickenlooper is a natural gas guy, its going to be an uphill push.
We’re having a big benefit concert on Labor Day, ya’ll please come!!
http://huerfanofrack.blogspot.com/
I’m also the founder of the Renewable Communities Alliance/working on the other side of the equation:
What about having a CO group summit to get some key people and orgs together?
Posted by Tangleblue | August 26, 2011, 10:48 pmPlease join our google group concerned-about-park-county-gas-drilling@googlegroups.com
Together we can Make A Change Together we can work towards State Legislation to protect our water.
There are several other groups out there working on the same goals. Let’s join our voices and then we will be heard.
Posted by scj | June 24, 2011, 9:17 pmI have added a link to your site from our Park County oriented site (https://sites.google.com/site/parkcountygasdrilling/links)
Posted by John | June 29, 2011, 3:52 amCitizens for Huerfano County is a new Southern Colorado group that’s fighting a Shell oil “play”, starting upwind of La Veta but positioned to expand rapidly if this first 14K’ well produces. We are also looking to network with other GRASSROOTS community groups fighting destructive OG development. We (or at least I) cannot join yet another google group but I would suggest you get a FAcebook group page, there its easy to “LIKE” and network with other anti-fracking/OG, pro local clean energy (but not big industrial solar/wind, because it still destroys the environment and communities), or both. Citizens for Huerfano County is “Huerfano’s Against Fracking” on Facebook. Oh and check out the Renewable Communities Alliance too, we are working to network anti/OG/coal with pro renewable/clean energy to ignite a broad-based Energy Democracy movement and put an end to energy tyranny. Lot of other great groups are there too – hope to see you there!
Posted by Ceal | July 19, 2011, 5:24 amThanks for the great information. We just started a Facebook page, so we can stay in touch better. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fracking-Colorado/219289581440760
Posted by lowryarapahoe | July 19, 2011, 9:00 pmOh and I’ll put a link to your website on the Huerfano’s Against Fracking facebook page (still working on a website).
Posted by Ceal | July 19, 2011, 5:27 amI am from a NY State antifracking group called United for Action (www.unitedforaction.org). We are part of a larger antifracking coalition, the national grassroots coalition, http://www.nationalgrassrootscoalition.org that is trying to disseminate informatoin and help organize joint actions by anti fracking groups nationwide. We are currently trying to push a national call in day to President Obama on September 13, 2011. If you would like to participate or to join the coalition details are on the coalition’s site. The United for Action site also contains useful resources such as links to articles on fracking. You can contact me if you would like more information. Eric Brandenburg, etburg@aol.com
Posted by Eric Brandenburg | September 11, 2011, 10:30 pmNov 1st meeting in Parker Library – a great beginning! Please contact me with any organizational updates, particularly any meetings in Parker. Have others expressed an interest in becoming involved or attending regularly scheduled meetings?
Posted by ron d jones | November 2, 2011, 3:54 amLove this movement! Frack NO! We need to get more attention on the Hughes Oil permit that is currently under review by the COGCC. The well is planned in a very unique area in the San Luis Valley near Del Norte up San Francisco Creek, and if contaminated could potentially threaten our entire aquifer/water system. Check out http://www.colorado.gov/cogcc click on Permits, Pending (Rio Grande County) and click on the blue tracking number. This launches an eForm that allows you to view all permit documents and has a comments section. This is the preferred and most direct method.
Posted by Wendy Kane | November 7, 2011, 7:52 pmWendy, I’ve been in touch with Tom but have been wondering if your community is getting organized? A GRASSROOTS network of community groups fighting oil & gas/fracking in Colorado is starting to emerge that includes the North Fork Valley, Huerfano, Elbert County’s, Commerce City, Erie, Boulder and others. You can follow Coalition for a Clean Colorado (c3) on facebook and email: ceal@cleancolorado.org to get plugged into the network….
Posted by Ceal Smith | April 4, 2012, 5:30 amWendy, I live in the San Luis Valley and am very concerned about this. I got interested because a friend saw some kind of fracking equipment going east on US-160 Wolf Creek Pass about a week ago. I decided to see if I could find out if any fracking is going on in the SLV and found this. Is there any kind of discussion or organized resistance going on? If so, please give me any details. It seems to me that some kind of community awareness project needs to get started if there isn’t one already. It would be very bad if our aquifer became contaminated.
Posted by James | August 29, 2012, 8:13 pmFracking has come to Longmont (this is an email blast that was sent out last week to people in Boulder County and beyond)
Two oil and gas corporations have expressed interest to drill right below Union Reservoir and in other open space areas.
The Longmont City Council is holding a work session on drilling during its meeting next Tuesday night (November 15th). The only invited speakers are sympathetic to drilling, including a representative from the CO Oil and Gas Association. Clearly, this will be a one sided presentation.
Will you come provide public comment at 6:45 pm? We need to let the Longmont City Council know that the threats to our water, families, and communities are too great to allow fracking to move forward in Longmont. Details are below. We also need people to attend and stand up when I mention there is a great deal of opposition to this by Longmont citizens.
Finally, The Longmont City Council is holding a work session on drilling during its meeting next Tuesday night (November 15th). The only invited speakers are sympathetic to drilling, including a representative from the CO Oil and Gas Association. Clearly, this will be a one sided presentation. there will be a public comment session at 7 pm. Please arrive at 6:45 in order to sign up to make comment.
> Talking points:
>
> * Fracking poses an unacceptable risk to our drinking water, public health, and our families.
> * Scientists have found that 25 percent of chemicals used in fracking can cause cancer; 37 percent can disrupt the endocrine system; and 40 to 50 percent can affect the nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems.
> * There is an average of 7 spills every 5 days in Colorado associated with the oil and gas industry in Colorado–more than one each day.
> * With this type of deplorable track record, why is Longmont considering letting two oil and gas corporations drill right next to Union Reservoir, which provides drinking water?
> * To date, over 100 municipalities across the country have passed resolutions to stop fracking within their jurisdiction. Colorado should follow suit.
> * Longmont must follow suit by denying permits for these two corporations. In addition, we urge the city council to protect its citizens by banning all future fracking.
>
Please forward this to your contacts. If people need more information, Jeff Dodge wrote an excellent article in The Boulder Weekly. http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-6775-what-the-frack.html
Posted by Teresa Foster | November 14, 2011, 2:14 amFracking may expose buried nerve agent at Commerce City Site Today!
Suprise showup of drilling crews alert families of danger of disturbig hazardous waste ,including SARIN, pumped into bedrock decades ago at the old Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver International Airport.
Citizens should call on USEPA and Colorado Public Health to begin site monitoring NOW!
Posted by Dan Mulqueen | November 21, 2011, 7:21 pmWhere is the outrage?
Posted by Gary Weaver | January 21, 2012, 4:30 pmhttp://longmontroar.org/ – come visit us and like us on Facebook!
Posted by Teresa F. | January 30, 2012, 7:18 pmWe are with you in Longmont. Our cause is outlined at LongmontROAR.org.
Posted by DavidPelster | January 30, 2012, 7:40 pmI feel like any of my own water conservation is being overshaddowed by the big natural gas companies use of this country’s water supply. Billions of gallons of precious and beautiful water purposefully contaminated. For what? I’m frustrated and want to organize.
Posted by Cameron Combs | April 1, 2012, 3:38 amYes it’s crazy. There are alternatives to oil and gas, but there is no alternative to clean water. Fracking has many negative impacts, and each one is reason enough to not allow it. Water is too important to destroy, waste, or sell. There was a Downstream Neighbor Water Symposium in January that focused on water’s importance. I recommend going to their facebook page for ways to get involved in water issues– http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Downstream-Neighbor-Water-Symposium/114311472000984. Their website also has good resources- http://downstreamneighbor.org/
Posted by lowryarapahoe | April 4, 2012, 5:08 amA GRASSROOTS network of community groups fighting oil & gas/fracking in Colorado is starting to emerge that includes CHC, Citizens for Huerfano County, ECOgig (Elbert County), Commerce City, Erie, Boulder and others. Follow Coalition for a Clean Colorado (c3) on facebook and email: ceal@cleancolorado.org to get on the info list. Hope you will consider joining us!
Posted by Ceal Smith | April 4, 2012, 5:23 amCITIZENS FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY IN HOTCKKISS CO IS ON THE MOVE ON THIS ISSUE… SURELY YOU HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THEM??????
Posted by Carol Kiese | April 1, 2012, 9:25 pmI personally haven’t contacted them (although others in our group may have), but we stand by all groups fighting this issue! I love Hotchkiss and its agricultural community, and will do whatever I can to help them prevent fracking’s negative impacts.
Posted by lowryarapahoe | April 4, 2012, 5:16 amCHC will be posting the Hotchkiss symposium on YouTube for all of us to access. We’ll keep everyone posted!
Posted by Ceal Smith | April 4, 2012, 5:25 amI grew up in Colorado. This makes me sick. What I don’t understand is the ignorance by choice because money is blinding some ‘s common sense. I don’t even live there and I’m more concerened!
Posted by Kim Lambert | May 27, 2012, 7:29 amI am so concerned about this fracking insanity and nightmare! I can hardly believe the apathy that so many express. Some even think aliens are going to intervene and fix everything for us. I believe the creator helps those that help themselves. Just in case the aliens get lost, or decide we are too stupid to help, I say get active and do all we can to stop this rape of us and the earth!!!
As an artist, I decided a good way for me to speak out is with wearable art and try to raise awareness with it, I have designed a “Poison Our Water? No Fracking Way!” t shirt. Anyone that wants to get one, or get in touch with me can visit my website: www. ReeOWinds,com
Thanks to the efforts of all you fellow concerned earthlings. Together we CAN make a difference. May the evolution begin! Peace and blessings on your journey.
Posted by Ree O"Winds | September 20, 2012, 11:06 amI am a native Coloradan born and raised in Grand Junction. I currently live in Austin, Texas and just showed my AP English students Gasland. I was horrified! The Colorado river runs along the bottom of my parents organic farm in GJ and I know it’s only a matter of time until they have problems with the water they use to water their plants. I will be moving back to Colorado in 2014 but would like to start making a difference now!
Posted by Adeline Thaler | November 21, 2012, 4:52 amColorado Springs City Council voted to allow fracking within city limits 11/27/2012. My wife and I were outraged, so I created a petition to be delivered to the City Council on SignOn.org. Here is a link:
http://signon.org/sign/stop-fracking-in-colorado?source=c.em.cp&r_by=664914
The more Springs residents that sign it, the more effective it will become. If you have friends/family in the area, please direct them to this so I can get it delivered asap.
Thanks for your time and consideration!
Posted by John Flores | November 29, 2012, 7:29 amif the bocc in delta co,colo have allowed this it is time to have a recall or do you not care ?west colo is short on water,add fracking.what benifit is there for the public,lower gas and oil?this is an unknown procedure and no legal reourse if it contamiates or changes unergrund water flow.if a problem crops up the frackers just moves on. what
happened in the mexican gulf with bp spill? the oil &gas co’s spend untold billions for profits what about say one
billion for insureance for each well they drill? fracking involves the use of toxic chemicals i understand,where do they end up? in the underground water? are the bocc members going to be responsible for any problems that may occur? i know them and they would leave towm ahead of thr oil&gas crowd. b.sargent ps can you sue the frackers? nope
Posted by bert sargent | December 16, 2012, 4:17 amOur group, Rio Grande Watchdogs, is a grass roots group in the San Luis Valley fighting oil/gas drilling and fracking. We have a Petition to Ban Fracking in the San Luis Valley at http://signon.org/sign/ban-oil-and-gas-drilling?source=c.fwd&r_by=1322789 and will appreciate new signers.
Wendy and Seal, do you know what we are doing???
Posted by Pauline Washburn | February 17, 2013, 6:57 pmI hope people (eventually) realize that the Earth is a living organism, and that by injecting toxic chemical deep into the water supply and the earth will have dire consequences.
Posted by christianliberal | July 8, 2013, 2:49 pmStop Fracking in colorado
Posted by William Zeringue | July 30, 2013, 12:37 pmI would like to help in anyway I can. I live in the San Luis Valley of Colorado and there is a well planned near Del Norte which is 6 miles from me. Please contact me! They trigger ONE quake here and all of the hot springs will dry up.
Posted by RaDonna | March 20, 2014, 7:59 pmHello there-
I am a student attending Arapahoe Community College and was recently given the assignment to write a paper with the topic of our choice. I chose to write a research paper on the topic of hydraulic fracturing combined with horizontal drilling. I was very surprised while reading up on this subject. I chose to share some of my research with others who are interested in fracking and its downfalls.
Studies have shown that up to 20-85% of the fracking fluid can remain underground. (earthworksaction.org)
Scientists have come out with a report showing how harmful the chemical used in fracking are; 25% have the potential to cause cancer, 37% could affect the endocrine system, 40-50% could damage the nervous, immune and cardiovascular system, and more than 75% could impair sensory organs and the respiratory system. (foodandwaterwatch.org)
On average, it takes 4 million gallons of water per well. (stateimpact.npr.org)
Almost half of the wells done in the United States since 2011 are in areas of ‘high’ or ‘extremely high’ water stress. (newswatch.nationalgeographic.com)
Sources:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2013/03/12/how-much-water-it-takes-to-frack-a-well/
http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/hydraulic_fracturing_101#.U1dB_ZVOXIU
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2013/03/12/how-much-water-it-takes-to-frack-a-well/
I. Stephens
Posted by I. Stephens | April 23, 2014, 4:43 amFracking is scary. I recently finished a research paper on fracking and it has me feeling very unsure of the future. Fracking can releases chemicals into the atmosphere that are cancerous, these chemicals can not only affect us directly but indirectly too. I had to stop to think about the livestock that is being affected through the efforts of hydraulic fracking. Frankly I don’t think the consequences will ever be quite clear, what more scary is the amounts of money that the oil industry has, what’s stopping them from paying for there coverups. One thing is a large oil spill, another is a small town on Colorado. No, that might not be conclusive but it make one wonder about what these people value. After all the people that frack know that the water that they are using is precious resource that we have, and that it is limited. Yes I say no to tracking.
Posted by Isela Cervantes | May 9, 2014, 5:56 amHas anyone initiated a class action lawsuit against the fracking companies for polluting the air and water? The methane smog lately has been bad especially north of Denver up to Fort Collins.
This precedent for such a lawsuit has been laid
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/25/justice/texas-family-wins-fracking-lawsuit/
The Parr family in Decatur, 60 miles NW of Dallas was awarded $2.9 million for personal injury and property damage in lawsuit against Plano-based Aruba Petroleum. According to the lawsuit family members were plagued by, “migraine headaches, nausea and dizziness as the flu.”
Posted by Tim | May 17, 2014, 2:20 amFew people know that in 2005 fracking was removed from the federal Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. All we need to do is Restore Fracking to those laws.
By the way, it’s removal is known as the “Halliburton Loophole.” Guess who our Vice-President was then?
Fighting for safe air and water city by city provides time to drill more wells. Colorado now has 53,000 wells, and the goal of our governor and oil companies is 100,000 wells.
Research by CU showed that birth defects (heart, brain, etc.) increased by 30 percent when infants were born within ten miles of multiple wells.
Restore fracking to the EPA’s Clean Water and Clean Air Acts, where it belongs.
Posted by K Faller | August 3, 2014, 6:35 pmHello, I am a green business owner in Longmont Colorado. I want to say thank you for having this organization to help fight against the pollution that has come from your oil and gas industry. I would love to be a part of the change and put an end to this polluting practices. As a botanist, a Permaculture teacher and human I want to see a better future for my children and for all of humanity. Please let me know how I can be of service. Thank you
Posted by Ryan Spinharney | December 12, 2014, 6:30 pm