At the January 22 City Council meeting, the first reading of the two oil and gas regulation amendments will go forward in almost the same form they were in before extensive Council discussion at the January 15 Study Session. The public hearing and second reading of these two amendments is set for March 12, according to Item 11d on…
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) hearing docket for January 28 & 29 contains several items pertaining to Broomfield residents. The official agenda will not be posted until about January 25. At this January meeting, Jeff Robbins will be the new acting director, as announced by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources on January 17. The Lowell…
According to an announcement late this afternoon by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Attorney Jeff Robbins will step in as the new acting director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). Mr. Robbins recently represented Adams County in its August 1 COGCC hearing to protest that Broomfield failed to allow Adams County to participate in…
At the January 15 Study Session, many in Council gave a cold reception to an ordinance first suggested by Broomfield Health and Safety First last spring to allow for a hearing process if citizens receive an unsatisfactory response from the City to their oil and gas complaint. Council’s response to the latest version of a proposed ordinance to…
In 2013, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and other teenagers in Our Children’s Trust began to challenge the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) by asking that the State agency not issue any new permits for oil and gas drilling unless it could be shown “that drilling can occur in a manner that does not cumulatively, with other actions, impair Colorado’s…
When the Oil and Gas Regulations (Ordinance No. 2067) were approved on July 10 with outstanding questions, Mayor Ahrens stated that the passing of the regulations was “a first step,” with “amendments every two weeks if we need to.” Six months later, two amendments which were deferred at that time are still in process due to continuing concerns…
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and against Martinez in reversing the Court of Appeals decision. The ruling was that the COGCC “properly declined to engage in rulemaking to consider Respondents’ proposed rule.” From the ruling: “Respondents proposed a rule that, among other things, would have precluded the Commission from issuing…
On January 3, the leaders of the Anthem Ranch Oil & Gas Education Group (AROGEG) sent a letter to Broomfield’s Mayor and Council Members requesting their help in addressing several issues. AROGEG received a response from Tami Yellico, Director of Strategic Initiatives, on January 8. In a statement to AROGEG members in releasing the City’s letter, AROGEG stated that,…
Fourteen Broomfield residents started the New Year at Council during January 8 Public Comments by “requesting an update on a number of items related to oil and gas development in Broomfield.” Speaker Jennifer Dulles referred to “similar challenges” that were unfortunately continuing from the previous year. Most of the speakers referred to a six-page letter that was submitted to…
High levels of benzene were released into the groundwater in Weld County at the end of December, according to the “Weld County oil and gas spill report for Jan. 6” in The Tribune (Greeley). The article states, “• KERR MCGEE OIL & GAS ONSHORE LP, reported Dec. 28 a historical tank battery spill about 7 miles northeast of Fort Lupton,…
