BROOMFIELD, Colo. — At the moment, all is quiet in the Mustand Acres neighborhood on the Adams County/Broomfield County line.
But, neighbors here fear that is about to change.
"We're very affected because the wells got moved extremely close to us," said neighbor Kathy Swan-Bogard.
Plans call for 84 new wells south of the Northwest Parkway in open space near Huron Street.
"Very near homes,” said Broomfield city councilman Kevin Kreeger. “Largely in Adams County."
Those drills pads received approval on a unanimous vote from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Tuesday. It now goes to the director of the COGCC for final approval of the applications with any conditions she sees necessary.
"Fundamentally, that seems like the wrong thing to do,” said Swan-Bogard. “They should be out in the fields where they used to be."
Swan-Bogard wants to be clear - she isn't against oil and gas altogether.
“I use oil and gas every day,” she said. “And I love what it does for my life and the benefits that it adds. But, it plays no place putting 84 wells in these residential neighborhoods."
Kreeger agrees.
"I don't think it needs to be mined right in neighborhoods and next to schools and playgrounds,” Kreeger said. “I think it can be in more open rural areas."
For Megan Townsend – it’s less about health and safety and more about traffic, which she says isn’t debatable.
"While people may have different opinions and choose which studies they want to look at for health and safety - you can't debate the impact of traffic.”
A battle once again pitting big oil against an explosion of growth in our state.
"It just doesn't belong in these heavily populated areas," Kreeger said.
“And in this instance, there are alternative sites,” Townsend said.
Broomfield city staff is now poised to sign-off on a Comprehensive Drilling Plan (CDP) from Extraction, despite large community outcry from concerned citizen and community groups.
