Fracking Colorado
Attempt to fast track oil and gas regulations in Aurora this Saturday, April 21:
Aurora City Council Spring Workshop for this Saturday, Agenda Item 4 is a proposal for accepting an oil and gas rules draft (see: https://www.auroragov.org/cs/groups/public/documents/document/010209.pdf for background documentation, including maps and committee info.)
The proposed rules are inadequately protective and do not exercise our city’s full rights and responsibilities to protect the health and welfare of its residents. Your urgent action is needed!
1. Write Aurora City Council ( citycouncil@auroragov.org) and ask them to NOT vote forward Mr. Sayres’ proposal and recommendations re oil and gas operations in Aurora.
Ask them to instead:
a. Re-write to get it right!
- Ask for rules informed by consideration of realistic long-term cost benefit analysis and public health science
-Require that rules include outcomes and performance that protect public health and safety and Aurora water, by :
- Prohibiting toxic air emissions,
- Prohibiting irredeemable destruction of Aurora water by any any industry,
- Require appropriate toxic protocols for the disposal of chemicals known to be toxic, by any industry
2. Come and meet Council Members at the Aurora Municipal Bldg, 8-8:30 am, as they arrive for their Spring Workshop on Saturday, April 21.
You may bring signs and stand around the entrance areas (both sides of bldg) as long as you do not block free passage into the entrances, and/or you may choose to engage them as they come in to their meeting in the Aurora Room (handing them a written statement or asking them to vote no on the proposal as it is currently written).
Aurora Municipal Center: 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora Colorado
Additional info:
If Aurora Council votes to accept the proposal as written on April 21, they can vote these rules into effect at their next public meeting on May 7th.
A ‘yes’ vote this Saturday, to accept the current proposal, removes opportunity for needed consideration of overlooked impact and health and cost issues, and removes the opportunity for meaningful public input, meaningful expert legal input, meaningful expert public health and safety input. Decision-making in the absence of critically relevant information is an abrogation of the responsibility vested in our elected officials, a failure of representative government.
Find out what What the Frack?! Arapahoe presented to council April 16 (at beginning, after presentation to arborists), including, reading out of a list of questions submitted by What the Frack?! Arapahoe and also by several neighborhoods, asking Council to respond in writing, answering, who will be legally and financially responsible for performing certain necessary tasks, pay damages, etc. related to oil and gas drilling in Aurora.http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL37274C79CDEB9EDF
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Take Action in Aurora: Share Your Concerns About Fracking With The Community, PTA, Schools
posted April 15, 2012On April 3, 2012, ten of us went to the Aurora Public School Board Meeting regarding the issue of shalebed oil and gas extraction and the public health, specifically the health of children.
Five of us made three minute presentations, based on the articles below and other information available regarding the special vulnerability of children to health impacts from exposure to toxic emissions.
The following written request was made to the School Board by our concerned citizens group, What the Frack?! Arapahoe:
4/3/2012
To the honorable members of the Aurora School Board:
Based on the evidence of special vulnerability of children to health impacts from current practices in extracting oil and gas from shale beds, we are asking the APS Board to file a statement of concern with the Aurora City Council and the Aurora Oil and Gas LDG (primary city contact re oil and gas leases) and the State Land Board (re Former Lowry Bombing Range lease to Conoco Phillips for 120 wells).
We are asking you to request that any oil and gas drilling using fracking near Aurora schools use closed loop systems (reduce toxic emissions 40%), not allow flaring or condensate tank emissions or open pits (reduce toxic air emissions another 60%), and include continuous air monitoring and alarms for hydrogen sulfide gas release, radioactive materials, and toxic chemicals emissions exceeding federal safety standards, to protect Aurora children.
Attached are some reference articles for your consideration.
We appreciate your consideration of our request and look forward to hearing back from you on this important issue.
In order for this request to have effective impact, we need the mothers and fathers and grandparents of Aurora to:
Please share and post the articles below in your community!
Make sure you give it to the principal and parents (submit at PTA meetings!) of your local schools!
Please consider writing a short cover letter or note, indicating your concern, given that fracking is expected to take place near several Aurora schools in the near future- in Cross Creek, Murphy Creek and other communities.
Your personal cover letter will make a big difference in getting the attention of the school administrators, teachers, and parents!)
“Natural Gas Wells Proliferation Poisoning Children’s Air, Research Suggests “ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/natural-gas-wells-air-pollution-children_n_1376586.html
Note the comments of Erie, Colorado moms about the health risks posed to their children and on the current suspected fracking related health problems of their children (dizziness, asthma, chronic sinusitis, gastrointestinal problems). Note also the comments of the Colorado School of Public Health researcher. _________________________________________________________“Colorado study finds fracking risks for nearby residents “ http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20206688/colorado-study-finds-fracking-risks-nearby-residents#ixzz1pdtDMKeZ )
Story about the results of a 3 year study done by Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH), of toxic air emissions near Battlement Mesa, Colorado (where a Health Assessment was also performed, several years ago. Key findings: -People living within a half-mile of oil-and-gas well fracking operations were exposed to air pollutants five times above the federal hazard standards! -The state requires a 150-foot setback in rural areas and a 350-foot setback in developed areas. “This study raises questions about those setback standards,” -The chemicals can have neurological or respiratory effects that include eye irritation, headaches, sore throat and difficulty breathing, the study said -The study did not look at the full range of chemicals released from fracking operations, which also include diesel fumes and methane -“The greatest health impact corresponds to the relatively short-term, but high emission, well completion period,” the study said. -”It is getting to the point that the industry has to be able to demonstrate their facilities aren’t going to impact public health.” _______________________________________________________“Study: Dirty air in Erie linked to gas drilling” http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20018381 Feb 22, and more detailed coverage at : http://www.timescall.com/ci_20016215
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin.) released results of a study a few weeks ago stating that their air sampling from Erie, Colorado found butane, ethane and propane at levels higher than Houston and Los Angeles and well above federal safety standards for those toxins! That data led the town council of Erie to institute a unanimous and immediate moratorium on new drilling applications (after previously voting down a moratorium). ______________________________________________________ALSO, BE SURE TO READ AND PRINT OUT: “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” A LETTER FROM A MOTHER IN ERIE, COLORADO, WHO LIVES NEAR OIL AND GAS WELLS, REGARDING THE HEALTH PROBLEMS OF HER CHILDREN AND FAMILY http://www.erierising.com/to-whom-it-may-concern/
NOTE THAT THE CITY OF AURORA’S OIL AND GAS SUB COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERING THE TOWN OF ERIE TO BE A MODEL FOR HOW CLOSE- IN RESIDENTIAL AREA FRACKING IS ACCEPTABLE/ WORKS FOR THE COMMUNITY !!!______________________________________________________________
Support SB107 – Vote Yes on the Fracking Safety Act – Sign This Petition
By Senator Morgan Carroll (Contact)
To be delivered to: The Colorado State House, The Colorado State Senate, and Governor John Hickenlooper
Colorado is experiencing an unprecedented boom in oil and gas drilling.
It is critical that any fracking activity be done in a responsible manner that avoids harm to property values, protects Colorado’s water supply, and protects the public health and environment.
Drilling activity near radioactive materials, Superfund sites, explosives, endangered habitat, or in residential areas poses serious risks if not handled properly.
In the interest of our people, land and water, I am asking that you please vote “yes” on SB 107, the Fracking Safety Act.
SB107 (Carroll – Wilson) protects property rights, health, and safety by addressing water quantity, water quality (contamination), use of closed loop systems, water set-asides, injection of cancer-causing chemicals into the ground, environmental bonding and drilling activity near radioactive materials, explosives and Superfund sites. Click Here To Sign The Petition.
posted March 30, 2012_____________________________________________________________
Protest the Governor’s Oil & Gas Task Force
When: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 8:30-9:00 am
Where: The Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman St., Rm. 318, Denver, CO 80203
Why:
-There are no grassroots representatives on the Task Force, while there are oil & gas industry reps.
-There are no State Health Department officials, toxicologists, non-industry experts on water, air, etc. on the Task Force, while there are State oil & gas reps.
-There are no organic farmers, ranchers or sportsmen on the Task Force.
-The Task Force does not include any scientific input to the process regarding: important new toxicology, endocrinology, epigenetic, cardiopulmonary findings, climate science, hydrologic geology, earthquake geology, or even statistical economic findings about long-term costs.
Colorado policies should be based on whether escalation of fracking, and creating uniform rules for all locations, is wise, or terribly risky to our health, our water, our quality of life, and our geology. The Task Force should be informed by realistic risk assessment!
PARKING: Street parking all around, mostly meter with credit card or quarters. We will have signs, or you certainly may bring your own!
Colorado citizens protest the Governor's Task Force, March 22, 2012. Photo courtesy of Jen Palazzolo
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BLM NEEDS YOUR COMMENTS ON NORTH FORK VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
On March 7th, the BLM released the Environmental Assessment on the 30,000 acre lease proposal for the North Fork Valley. It is disappointing that the agency largely ignored the input provided by nearly 3000 citizens and did not propose to withdraw all of the parcels. It is particularly astonishing since the Environmental Assessment states that leasing and drilling could result in significant economic costs to the North Fork Valley. But it is no surprise that the agency is if it is “business as usual.”
This current 30-day public comment period is your second opportunity for input. It’s your opportunity to let the BLM know that it can not trade our clean water, clean air, the health of our community and our farming and ranching for fracking. Your voice is critical to applying the pressure to remove all 22 lease parcels from the sale. Please send your comments to the BLM today.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS TODAY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: click here to read the EA
Deadline for comments is April 6th, 2012
Please tell the BLM:
You support the NO ACTION-NO LEASING ALTERNATIVE that will result in the withdrawal of all 22 parcels from the lease sale.
The 1989 Resource Management Plan (RMP) did not analyze the impacts of horizontal hydraulic fracturing because this technology did not exist when the RMP was written. As a result, the BLM must analyze the impacts of horizontal fracking in this EA.
BLM cannot put off analyzing the impacts of oil and gas development to some future date. All impacts must be analyzed before selling the right to develop the oil and gas in these parcels.
BLM must prepare a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement.
Negative impacts to prime farmlands in the North Fork Valley must be fully analyzed prior to leasing.
The agency must include an analysis of the socio-economic impacts to the North Fork Valley. Provide BLM with your personal story about how your livelihood depends upon maintaining the health of our community.
Mail or email your written comments today! Send a copy of your comments to the BLM & the additional contacts listed.
Mail Your Comment Letter to the BLM:
BLM Uncompahgre Field Office ATTN: Oil and Gas Lease EA 2465 S Townsend Ave Montrose CO 81401Email: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Information/nepa/ufo/august_lease_sale.html(The BLM email submission is not user-friendly and currently only works with PC computers. CHC and others are pressing the agency to fix the problem)
Provide copies of your comments to:
President Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington DC 20500 Marcilynn Burke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management US Dept of Interior 1849 C Street NW Mail Stop 6628 Washington DC 20240 Sean Babbington c/o US Sentator Michael Bennet 458 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington DC 20510 http://bennet.senate.gov/contact/ - choose Energy for the “Message Topic” and enter North Fork Leasing in subject line Jill Ozarski c/o US Senator Mark Udall Hart Office Bldg. Suite SH-328 Washington DC 20510 http://www.markudall.senate.gov/?p=contact_us – choose Energy for the “Topic” and enter North Fork Leasing in subject line State Senator Gail Schwartz State Capitol Bldg. 200 E Colfax Ave. Denver CO 80203 gail.schwartz.senate@gmail.com_______________________________________________________
Tell Gov. Hickenlooper To Withdraw This Misleading Oil And Gas Ad!!!
A misleading radio ad is floating around the state that claims Colorado has “not had one instance of groundwater contamination associated with drilling and hydraulic fracturing.” The truth is, as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and a Denver Post investigation have proven, groundwater contamination remains a major problem with oil and gas production in our state.
It’s especially troubling that this radio ad was recorded by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Ask Hickenlooper to take the ad down now.
Sign the petition at:
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The Coalition for a Clean Colorado, a newly formed alliance of grassroots citizen groups working to protect their communities from destructive oil and gas drilling and fracking, has a petition and an open letter to Governor Hickenlooper.
Sign their petition at:
http://www.change.org/petitions/time-to-clean-up-colorado
Below is their open letter to Governor Hickenlooper
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ceal Smith, Renewable Communities Alliance/Coalition for a Clean Colorado, ceal@theriver.com, 719.256.5780
Jen Palazzolo, Coalition for a Clean Colorado, rxmonkey@rxmonkey.com, 720-839-9079
March 1, 2012
Open Letter to Governor Hickenlooper
The Coalition for a Clean Colorado is a newly formed alliance of grassroots citizen groups working to protect their communities from destructive oil and gas drilling and fracking. We are united in our belief, that clean air and water, clean government and an economy powered by local, clean energy are essential for healthy communities and a livable future. We depend on and expect our elected officials to represent and protect our interests.
Your recent advertisements on behalf of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), an industry that stands to reap billions from the accelerated extraction of dirty and life threatening fossil energy, is in direct conflict with your sworn duty to prevent adverse environmental and human health impacts to the People of Colorado, and a shocking breach of public trust.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s own database confirms over 1,000 oil and gas spills have impacted groundwater since 2009. These releases and other chemical emissions, legalized through multiple industry exemptions, have long impacted the health, safety and welfare of our communities. It’s time these impacts be acknowledged and mitigated with the level of diligence the citizens of Colorado deserve.
County land use regulations, ordinances and charter amendments empowered by the Colorado Constitution and upheld by the courts, are the only means left for people to protect their communities from the abuses of an overly powerful industry. Two weeks ago, thousands of citizens and the legislature spoke firmly against total state preemption as embodied in HB 12-088 and in favor of local regulatory authority over oil and gas activities.
Your executive order on fracking goes against the will of the people and undermines our democratic process. We, the people of Colorado who will be directly affected by its decisions, are in no way represented by the Task Force; therefore, we call on you to rescind the executive order.
Respectfully,
- Jennifer Palazzolo, for Coalition for a Clean Colorado
- Ceal Smith, for Renewable Communities Alliance
- Keli Kringel, President for Citizens for Huerfano County, La Veta, CO
- Sonia Skakich-Scrima, Founder, for What the Frack?! Arapahoe, CO
- Joe Bassman, for LongmontROAR, Longmont, CO
- April Beach, for Erie Rising, Erie, CO
- Rick Blotter, for Elbert County Oil & Gas Interest Group (ECOGIG), Agate, CO
- Ken Regelson, for RenewablesYES!, Boulder, CO
- Doris LeDue, for The South Park Coalition, Inc., Como, CO
- Phil Doe, for Be The Change, Denver, CO
- Robert James IV, for Be The Change, USA, Lakewood, CO
- Kyle Elston, for Routt County Frack, Steamboat Springs, CO
- Alison Gannett, Founder for North Fork Fracking, Paonia, CO
- Lisa Bracken, for Journey of the Forsaken, Silt, CO
- Greg Eells, PE for Coloradoans for Fair Rates and Clean Energy (CO-FORCE)
- Kathleen Dudley, for Drilling Mora County, Mora, NM
- B. Arrindell, Director for Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Milanille, PA
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Rally at the Aurora Municipal Building
Join Our Rescheduled Rally At:
The Aurora Municipal Building,15151 E. Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, CO (along Alameda and Chambers)
Saturday, Feb. 25, 9:15 – 10:00 am
Let our city council know that they need to protect the public, and recognize the true costs of fracking to our community, before allowing it to occur in our city!!
They will be having an oil and gas workshop to discuss drilling operations and to discuss whether to impose a moratorium on fracking, and they need to hear from as many Aurora residents opposed to fracking as possible. Will you tell the Aurora City Council to Ban Fracking Now? The public can attend the workshop, but can not speak. However your signs and presence speaks volumes! The workshop meeting begins at 10:00 am in the City Council Chambers.
Whether you can come to the rally or not, signing this petition will let the Aurora City Council know that you are against fracking in our city.http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9328
You can also call the main Council phone and leave a message for Council and the Mayor: 303-739-7015 and Email all Council Members: citycouncil@auroragov.org
City ordinances don’t protect Aurorans from the oil and gas industry’s negative impacts, such as
- highly toxic emissions
- risk of groundwater contamination from underground storage of toxic water
- degraded quality of life due to 24/7 heavy tanker truck traffic
- declining property values
- the demonstrated high risk of spills/ accidents/fire/explosion/blowout/ and leakage that threaten public safety
Aurora needs a public accounting of the many steep costs of oil and gas development, and not just consider possible revenues! Aurora has the power to write ordinances that protect the city and its residents, and must be encouraged to step up to that responsibility! We need a 6 month moratorium for the city to get this urgent job done!
Here are some possible slogans for your signs:
- No fracking our home values!
- No fracking our quality of life!
- No fracking our children’s health!
- No fracking our water!
- No fracking way!
- Aurora: Don’t frack it up!
- Check the zoning: my HOA is not in a heavy industrial zone!
- 6 month time-out to figure it out !
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WE MUST ENSURE THAT HOUSE BILL 1277 SUCCEEDS! We Urge Everyone To Take The Following 4 Very Important Actions! Deadline: Monday, Feb. 20, 2011, 1:30 pm.
1) Sign the petition to the House Committee on Local Government (Goal: 1,500 signatures, we exceeded 1,000 on the last one!):
https://www.change.org/petitions/strengthen-local-rights-to-regulate-oil-and-gas-2
2) Contact committee members directly, by email and/or phone (information and talking points below)
3) If you’re in the Denver area, please make every effort possible to COME TO THE CAPITOL and attend the hearing at 1:30 pm on Monday (details below)
4) Share, tweet, forward and help spread the word far and wide!
Information on House Bill 12-1277
House Bill 1277 gives local governments more control. Let’s support this bill, which gives local county governments the power to regulate oil and gas activities. The provision to allow a ban was removed, and we need to ask that it be put back in. HB12-1277 expressly reconfirms that local land use regulation of the impacts of oil and gas operations, including fracking, is an important state interest, and that requirements imposed by the COGCC are in addition to, NOT instead of, local land use permit requirements. Oil and gas operations have to go through city or county permitting processes in which local governments can impose conditions or even reject a permit for fracking wells that do not satisfy local permit requirements and local zoning.
View the entire bill here:
Call and Email the Representatives on the Local Government Committee Tips on calling:
The bill is up on Monday, 1:30, 2/20/12, so calls would need to happen on Monday morning or over the weekend. Callers should focus on the Reps living in their own areas, and should self-identify on the message.
If the caller is a Republican calling a Republican Representative, the caller should self-identify as such. The Republican Reps. will be more inclined to listen. Likewise when calling Democratic Representatives.
Callers can touch on any aspect of the bill, but the role of local government in protecting communities is definitely an important aspect.
A Sample Script
“Hi Rep. Gardner, my name is Josephine Smith and I’m a Colorado Springs voter. Please support House Bill 1277 in the Local Government committee on Monday afternoon. This bill will make sure local governments have a voice in matters that affect their communities and residents.”
Callers are encouraged to modify and personalize the script as they see fit, especially to add any relevant information such as personal experience with fracking.
Other talking points to select from:
-COGCC rules are wholly inadequate to protect public health and safety (examples) against the new shale extraction technique of fracking (which involves much larger environmental and health and safety impacts and constitutes heavy industry).
-COGCC rules do not clearly allow local governments to determine the quality of life, determine zoning (heavy industrial vs. residential), protect city/county assets and the assets of individual residents and communities.
-COGCC and State Attorney General are joining the oil and gas industry in strong-arming communities all over CO with threats of litigation if they dare to produce protective rules one iota more protective than COGCC rules.
-COGCC is a captured agency, that appears to be committed to promotion of O&G interests without adequately regulating for health and safety, without requiring industry to honor the wishes and needs of communities all over Colorado, and not accounting for the costs associated with this industry’s negative impacts – costs that are borne by citizens and municipal governments.
-The State’s interests in oil and gas extraction has not been adequately represented by the COGCC regulations, which fail to recognize other significant state interests, such as reducing costs to the state associated with inadequately mitigated impacts to Colorado communities, protecting public health and safety, assuring appropriate representation of municipal and citizen rights.
-WE THE PEOPLE need this bill’s additional clarification of right to act in our self interest, right to defend our property and assets, right to defend our inalienable rights.
- We need this bill, in order to protect the assets of CO as a whole, those of our communities, and our individual property values and quality of life.
Below are the 11 Representatives on the Local Government Committee that might support HB12-1277 if they receive a persuasive number of phone calls from folks that live in their area. There are no Huerfano County reps on the committee, but if you know people in Mesa, Arapahoe, Adams, Jefferson, El Paso, Fremont, Denver, or Pueblo counties, please help us locate their constituents and ask them to call their Representatives.
Representative Laura Bradford
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Bradford, Laura |
55 |
Mesa |
R |
Business Owner, Tree Farmer | Cap: 303-866-2583E-mail:laurabradford55@gmail.com | |
| Chair of Local Government; Member of Health and Environment | ||||||
Representative David Balmer (Centennial)
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Balmer, David G(Wife: Karen) |
39 |
Arapahoe |
R |
Brownfield Redevelopment | Cap: 303-866-2935E-mail:david.balmer.house@state.co.us | |
| Chair of Congressional Redistricting; Member of Economic andBusiness Development; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Edward Casso
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Casso, Edward |
32 |
Adams |
D |
Legislator | Cap: 303-866-2964E-mail:edward.casso.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Local Government | ||||||
Representative Kathleen Conti
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Conti, Kathleen(Husband: Frank) |
38 |
ArapahoeJefferson |
R |
Legislator | Cap: 303-866-2953E-mail:kathleen.conti.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Finance; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Rhonda Fields
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Fields, Rhonda |
42 |
Arapahoe |
D |
Legislator | Cap: 303-866-3911E-mail:rhonda.fields.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Health and Environment; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Bob Gardner B.
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Gardner, Bob |
21 |
El PasoFremont |
R |
Attorney | Cap: 303-866-2191E-mail:bob.gardner.house@state.co.us | |
| Chair of Judiciary; Vice-Chair of Health Care Exchange; LegalServices; Member of Appropriations; Local Government; Police Officers’ andFirefighters’ Pension Reform Commission | ||||||
Representative Sanford Lee (Colorado Springs)
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Lee, Sanford E “Pete”(Wife: Lynn) |
18 |
El Paso |
D |
Attorney/Business man | Cap: 303-866-2932E-mail:pete.lee.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Judiciary; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Elizabeth McCann
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| McCann, Elizabeth “Beth”(Husband: Christopher Linsmayer) |
8 |
Denver |
D |
Legislator | Cap: 303-866-2959E-mail:beth.mccann.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Health and Environment; Health Care Exchange; LocalGovernment | ||||||
Representative John Soper
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Soper, John F(Wife: Juanita) |
34 |
Adams |
D |
Retired Electrician | Cap: 303-866-2931E-mail:john.soper.house@state.co.us | |
| Member of Economic and Business Development; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Keith Swerdfeger
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Swerdfeger, Keith(Wife: Sharon) |
47 |
FremontPueblo |
R |
Utility Contractor | Cap: 303-866-2905E-mail:keith.swerdfeger.house@state.co.us | |
| Vice-Chair of Finance; Member of Economic and BusinessDevelopment; Local Government | ||||||
Representative Libby Szabo
| Representative |
Dist. |
Counties |
Pty. |
Occupation | Telephone | |
| Szabo, Libby(Husband: Denes ) |
27 |
Jefferson |
R |
Business Woman | Cap: 303-866-2962E-mail:libby.szabo.house@state.co.us | |
| Vice-Chair of Local Government; Member of Economic and BusinessDevelopment | ||||||
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Update on State Land Board Leasing FLBR: Denver Post Article by Bruce Finley, Feb. 12, 2011 ”Denver Metro Cities Digging In Before Oil And Gas Drills Do” states:
ConocoPhillips has proposed to drill for oil and gas across 40 square miles east of Aurora on the old Lowry bombing range. State staffers worked for a year “developing rigorous stewardship criteria,” including requirements for closed-loop drilling and other protections, “which in many cases exceed” COGCC requirements, Land Board director Bill Ryan said.
The deal would pay the state $137 million and guarantee a 20 percent share of revenues if oil and gas are produced. The standard rate for some 2,500 state- lands mineral leases is 16 percent. “We’re delighted with Conoco as a potential partner,” Ryan said.
But the board delayed a decision after it learned another state agency is suing Conoco in a dispute over past cleanups of contamination at 354 sites of leaking underground gas tanks.
Colorado’s Oil and Public Safety Division, part of the state labor department, seeks $152 million because Conoco allegedly told state officials it was not reimbursed by insurers when, in fact, insurers paid Conoco $286 million to cover cleanups, the lawsuit says.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers is pressing the case in Denver District Court. Conoco officials “were taking money from their insurance companies” while also receiving $70 million from the state to cover cleanup costs — “double-billing, essentially,” attorney general spokesman Mike Saccone said. “We just want our money back. We want the $152 million — money they billed the state for, plus interest.”
SEE THE ENTIRE ARTICLE: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19946279
Update: Pending Colorado State Land Board Lease to Conoco Phillips for Oil Extraction on the Former Lowry Bombing Range
The current lease stipulations for Conoco Phillips (up to 120 wells) are inadequate to protect Arapahoe County and Aurora residents (and the region!) from significant long-term preventable harms!
Please consider contacting the State Land Board , by February 3, 2011, with your concerns, before this is voted upon!
Tell the State Land Board that their FBLR “Matrix” represents a horrific scenario:
IT WILL LEAVE A TOXIC LEGACY FOR THE CHILDREN OF COLORADO, DESTROY TOO MUCH WATER, AND POSE UNACCEPTABLE RISK OF CATASTROPHIC THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY! (unexploded ordinance + blowout risk + seismic activity + unpredictable fugitive methane migration + 4 aquifers + nearby EPA Superfund site = Catastrophic Worst-Case Scenario!)
Demand That The State Land Board Fulfill Their Mandate Of Wise Long-Term Land Stewardship For Colorado Children, By:
-
Not drilling until all unexploded ordnance has been removed.
-
Using closed-loop systems, non-toxic fluids, and recycled frack water on all their land (no sacrifice zones).
-
Pre-testing all aquifers and groundwater within 2 miles of drilling radius before and during drilling (for methane, frack chemicals, radioactive materials).
OR:
- That they not allow any drilling at all on the FLBR, since it represents water security for the area (4 aquifers lie beneath it, one water reservoir already exists there and 4 more are planned for this land) and fracking there poses unacceptable public safety risks.
Also ask them to post the most current Exhibit “B” Lowry Lease Stipulation, in full, on their website.
Colorado State Land Board 1127 Sherman Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80203-2206 phone: 303-866-3454 fax: 303-866-3152Background Information:
The State Land Board’s, Former Lowry Bombing Range Land, oil development project was the original impetus for forming “What the Frack?!” Arapahoe, a concerned citizens group. ( See our Aurora page) We mounted a petition campaign, with hard copy and online petitions, and call-in campaign, and have repeatedly requested that the board consider our 10 mitigating stipulations for Best Management Practices and other considerations that would reduce negative impacts and costs to Aurora and Arapahoe County residents. While the SLB did acknowledge our 10 point request for stipulations in their Matrix plan discussion, only “closed-loop systems” made it into the first version of their “Matrix” plan and only for one section of land. In January, their plan was modified to include closed-loop requirement for all sections of land in that lease agreement.
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4 Urgent and Important Actions for January 2012!!!
REAL CHANGE IS WITHIN REACH, REGARDING THE EXTENT AND TYPE OF OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION IN AURORA, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, AND ON THE STATE LAND BOARD PROPERTY AT THE FORMER LOWRY BOMBING RANGE !
We HAVE had an impact to date:
- Aurora City Council will be considering a 6 month moratorium on drilling application, to gather more information on impacts, and revision of city ordinances to mitigate harms!
- What the Frack?! Arapahoe, Be the Change, Food and Water Watch, and other groups presented several bill outlines to Colorado legislators, in hopes of passing state legislation that will reform the state oil and gas regulations. These outlines require: Best Management Practices across the state; clarifying local government’s right to refuse the heavy industry of fracking within city limits or in other areas designated “off-limits”, disallowing uncompensated harms to Colorado residents, etc. Hopefully these bill will get passed with the strong support of citizens groups, like ours, all over Colorado!
IN THE MEANTIME, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE FRACKING FREE-FOR-ALL THAT IS POISED TO TAKE PLACE ON OUR COMMUNITIES! THAT IS WHY THE 4 ACTIONS LISTED BELOW ARE SO IMPORTANT!
These 4 Actions – communicating with our elected officials – will result in success, IF AND ONLY IF each of us carries them out and gets neighbors, family members, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues to do the same, this week and next week, by the date fields listed.
If elected officials can clearly see that there is a HUGE and RESOLUTE public outcry for change of oil and gas rules, they WILL respond positively.
WHETHER OF NOT WE ACHIEVE A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME DEPENDS ON YOU AND ME! LET’S GET THIS DONE, FOR ALL OF US, BY ALL OF US!!!
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WHAT YOU CAN TO DO:
1. The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) will vote on new Oil and Gas Rules written by the Arapahoe Planning Commission on Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 9:30 am, at the Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., Littleton, CO Main Phone: 303-795-4630
CALL THE MAIN PHONE NUMBER ABOVE, BEFORE JAN. 3. Leave a message for the commissioners, just citing the points in the underlined statements below and leaving your name and address.
- Reject The Revised Oil and Gas Rules: They do not exercise the full rights of the county to protect county assets, individual property values, quality of life, health and safety.
- Instead, follow the request of the overwhelming majority of the public who spoke at the hearings: Institute a 6 month moratorium! The majority of oil and gas industry reps who spoke also called for a “Time Out”!
- The Planning Commission appeared to be alarmingly uninformed, regarding full oil and gas impacts, the full legal rights of the county in setting rules, and the long-range stakes involved for the county and its residents.
- The rules need to be revisited by a fully informed Planning Commission and a moratorium that will allow them time to get informed. El Paso County instituted a moratorium (as well as Colorado Springs, Commerce City, and Longmont) to allow additional time for fact gathering and rule writing. Arapahoe County should do the same!
Then copy the whole, above text, starting with “Reject the revised rules”, ending with “should do the same” (or put it in your own words, which is more effective!) and EMAIL TO EACH COUNTY COMMISSIONER:
Commissioner (and Chair) Rod Bockenfeld: rbockenfeld@co.arapahoe.co.us Commissioner Susan Beckman: sbeckman@co.arapahoe.co.us Commissioner Nancy N. Sharpe: nsharpe@co.arapahoe.co.us Commissioner Nancy Jackson: njackson@co.arapahoe.co.us Commissioner Frank Weddig: fweddig@co.arapahoe.co.us- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
2. The State Land Board will be voting, regarding their proposed “Matrix” of drilling lease requirements for the Former Lowry Bombing Range Land (FLBR) in the morning, January 6, 2012. Call the two phone numbers below before January 5th!
Main Phone Number: 303-866-3454 and Director Bill Ryan: 303-866-3454 extension 3314
Tell the State Land Board that their FBLR “Matrix” represents a horrific scenario:
IT WILL LEAVE A TOXIC LEGACY FOR THE CHILDREN OF COLORADO, DESTROY TOO MUCH WATER, AND POSE UNACCEPTABLE RISK OF CATASTROPHIC THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY! (unexploded ordnance + blowout risk + seismic activity + unpredictable fugitive methane migration + 4 aquifers + nearby EPA Superfund site = Catastrophic Worst-Case Scenario!)
Demand That The State Land Board Fulfill Their Mandate Of Wise Long-Term Land Stewardship For Colorado Children, By:
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Not drilling until all unexploded ordnance has been removed.
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Using closed-loop systems, non-toxic fluids, and recycled frack water on all their land (no sacrifice zones).
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Pre-testing all aquifers and groundwater within 2 miles of drilling radius before and during drilling (for methane, frack chemicals, radioactive materials).
OR:
- That they not allow any drilling at all on the FLBR, since it represents water security for the area (4 aquifers lie beneath it, one water reservoir already exists there and 4 more are planned for this land) and fracking there poses unacceptable public safety risks.
IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, CONSIDER ATTENDING THEIR PUBLIC MEETING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 6 AT 9:30 AM, and sign up to make a statement to the Board: 1127 Sherman St., Suite 300, Denver, CO 80203
Also, if you haven’t signed our online petition yet, please do so and leave a comment on why you support it: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Lowry-Bombing-Range-Fracking-Aurora-CO/
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3. Aurora City Council will be considering a 6 month moratorium on oil and gas applications, sometime in January. Council Members will need to hear from a HUGE number of residents in the first week of January in order to seriously consider this step!
Call the main Council phone and leave a message for Council and the Mayor: 303-739-7015 and Email all Council Members: citycouncil@auroragov.org
Make Sure You Convey How Important This Is To You!
Let Them Know That The 6-Month Moratorium Will Give Them Time To Become Fully Informed On The Significant Risks That You Are Concerned About (risks to property values, full guarantees of mortgages and title insurance, quality of life, public health, public safety, and to Aurora’s desirability as a place to live!).
And For Planning And Zoning To Become Fully Informed On The Full Legal Options Open To Aurora In Writing New Oil And Gas Ordinances – To Defend Its Zoning And Other Rights On Behalf Of Its Residents (e.g., right to refuse heavy industry in residential areas, right to regulate hazardous chemicals transportation and emissions and disposal in the city, right to require non-toxic frack fluids and closed-loop systems, etc.).
AND MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND THEIR UPCOMING WARD MEETINGS (see City of Aurora website https://www.auroragov.org/AuroraGov/index.htm : Jan. 16 Ward V Bob Roth, Jan. 26 Ward IV Molly Markert)
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4. Attend The Aurora City Council Meeting To Speak During The Public Comment Segment On Monday, January 9, 2012 ; 7:30 pm;
15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora, CO 80012, Mayor and City Council Chambers, 1st floor.
Go to Council Chambers, before 7:30, and get a sign-up sheet for “Public to be Heard”. Fill it out and enter “Non-Agenda Item”, so that you will be heard during the first part of the meeting. You will have 3 minutes. Thank them for considering the 6 month moratorium and make it clear why the 6 month moratorium is important to YOU!
Even if you don’t speak, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ATTEND!!! Bring your neighbors, family, acquaintances. NUMBERS ARE WHAT WILL SPEAK LOUDEST TO THEM!!!!!!!
TOGETHER, WE CAN DO THIS!!!
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November 2011
Public written comments, regarding Arapahoe County’s proposed revised Oil & Gas ordinances, are DUE Nov. 17, but still accepting them through Nov. 19!
See the Arapahoe County website ( www.co.arapahoe.co.us ) for details, the text of the proposed amended ordinance, and the e form for comments (and/or the hard copy); Also send your comments to your County Commissioner and cc the other Commissioners!
They will still accept written comments however they don’t guarantee that they will be read by the Planning Commission prior to the Public Hearing on Nov. 29.
Use the Oil and Gas Regulations Feedback Form or Online Feedback Form/Survey
Mail or drop off the completed form to:
6924 S. Lima St, Centennial, CO 80112 or fax it to 720-874-6611 (please note new fax #), or email it to oilandgas@co.arapahoe.co.us.
While some of us have submitted section by section language change requests, All of us must insist that the new ordinances are entirely inadequate in protecting:
- Public air and water quality
- Water security for the state and our County
- Public health and safety
- Emergency and medical awareness and advance organization, re chemicals used in each stage of operation
- Surface owner rights to “reasonable use” including:
The right to breathe non-poisoned air, right to sleep and function free from oil and gas industrial activities and related illness or impairment, and without interference of industrial scale noise, lights, smells, and tremors.
The right to retain property values and assurance of mortgage and home insurance guarantees and to not suffer any uncompensated losses from property value decline, threats to mortgage and/or homeowner insurance, health impacts, loss of community reputation and quality of life, and other negative impacts,as related to oil and gas extraction process in their community.
Also, while some are suggesting section by section draft improvements, others are requesting that the County consider replacing their proposed ordinance language with the proposed county ordinances written for Pitkin County. These were written to attempt to meaningfully mitigate known harms, by prudent requirements for:
Baseline and continued air and water sample testing
Consideration of placement to include rights of surface owners and the County’s recreational and other assets
Express prohibition on use of toxic chemicals in oil and gas extraction processes and express prohibition of open wastewater pits
Well considered mitigation measures to protect the environment and public health and safety from the unusual constellation of known harms posed by current oil and gas extraction techniques
AND we are asking for a moratorium or ban on oil and gas development in Arapahoe County until all significant known harms listed in our petition to Arapahoe County are cured.
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Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners Meeting: Nov. 22, 9:30 am.
Due to the special topic meetings and the holidays, this date will be the only opportunity for “public to be heard”, for people to speak directly to the commissioners before they vote on the new proposed oil & gas rules.
Please come and personally present reasons why you want rules that protect property values, health, and safety.
While they will be receiving a written compilation of public comments, on the new rules from Planning and Zoning, your personally presented comments are very meaningful to the County Commissioners!
You will have 1-2 minutes to speak.
Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince Street, Littleton, CO 80120, 303-795-4400.
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Arapahoe County Public Hearing on the Proposed New County Rules on Oil & Gas Drilling on Nov. 29!
Public Hearing with the Arapahoe County Planning Commission:
Lima Plaza, Arapahoe Room, 6954 South Lima St., Centennial,
November 29, 6:30 pm
Very Important to Attend This. Public can be heard, limited to 3 minutes each. If you run out of time to say what you came to say, you can also submit your comments in writing at the hearing, and ask that they be entered into the public record.
If you are in support of our countywide petition, please make sure you include that information when you speak! We need a huge number of people to attend! If you are not a fan of public speaking, just say your name and that you support the petition.
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URGENT NEED TO COLLECT SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION AND TURN THEM IN TO
“What the Frack?!” Arapahoe by Nov. 27
In order to get a master count and to assemble them for presentation at the public hearing on the 29th: CALL 303-917-5160 to arrange drop off of completed petitions.
In order for our efforts to be rewarded with serious consideration of our requests, we will need a very large number of signatories. Please walk it door to door in you area, take it to work and to civic meetings to get signatures!
THIS IS OUR WINDOW OF TIME TO GET THIS DONE, ON BEHALF OF OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN!
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