News

Actions

Boulder County OKs new oil-gas rules amid moratorium dispute

Boulder County OKs new oil-gas rules amid moratorium dispute
Posted at 9:39 PM, Mar 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-23 23:39:50-04

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- The Boulder County commissioners have adopted new land-use regulations for oil and gas development, but it wasn't clear whether they would lift a moratorium on drilling that prompted a lawsuit by the attorney general.

The rules approved Thursday cover unincorporated parts of the county.

Among other things, they ask drillers to provide detailed plans and suggest alternative well locations. They also require that surrounding landowners be notified and call for neighborhood meetings and hearings.

The county imposed a drilling moratorium while it updated the rules. That prompted Attorney General Cynthia Coffman to file suit, citing a state Supreme Court ruling that said only the state can regulate the industry.

The county asked a judge to dismiss the suit, noting the moratorium is scheduled to expire on May 1.

---------

Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.

Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.