First, apologies our team has been quiet. We are, like everyone, taking in what is happening and working to adjust our lives to the reality of Covid-19. We appreciate your patience with us.
Sadly, this respiratory global pandemic is on a dangerous collision course with flowback operations in our community.
It is expected that flowback operations will begin at the Livingston Pad between the first and third week of April.
This is also just the time when Covid-19 cases, including severe respiratory distress and possible death, are expected to be spiking. Covid-19, as many of you know, is expected to put a huge burden on our medical personnel, first responders and healthcare systems.
With the state of emergency that has been declared, we now have many hundreds of elderly residents in Anthem Ranch quarantining in their homes. And a significant number of 60+ residents in Wildgrass, Silverleaf and Anthem Highlands as well. These are the people most vulnerable to Covid-19’s deadly respiratory effects.
But Extraction intends to begin flowback operations, the stage most frequently cited as having dangerous VOC emissions, during this pandemic.
We simply can not allow an elderly population facing a deadly pandemic to experience ANY additional load on their respiratory systems at this point in time.
To do so risks stressing our medical and first responders further, at a time when we cannot afford this, and it seriously jeopardizes the ability of an entire population to recover from Covid-19 infections. No resident should suffer increased emissions during a global respiratory pandemic.
There are, of course, other issues as well. Residents ordered homebound lack evacuation routes in the event of an emergency, and a lack of facilities to house evacuated residents, while affording a six foot social distance, would undoubtedly be impossible at present.
But more than anything, I fear our ability to avoid respiratory distress and death in our community, and this has, become personal for me the last 10 days. You see, I write this to you as I sit in my home, having tested negative for Covid-19 but diagnosed with pneumonia, and the issue feels very concrete and real.
I urge you to write to City Council now.
Our council has a study session at 5 pm Tuesday the 17th. Please send letters to City Council ahead of 5 pm.
Council@broomfieldcitycouncil.org
These are extraordinary times and we must all come together to protect those most vulnerable and to protect our community.
Thank you for taking the time to pen a letter. Even the shortest statement has impact as council addresses this pandemic and the actions necessary to protect public health.
May you be healthy and safe.
With gratitude,
Jennifer Dulles
Founder, Broomfield Concerned
And the Broomfield Concerned Board and Volunteer Team