Hearing will be held virtually and written public comment accepted

Boulder County, Colo. - The Board of Boulder County Commissioners (BOCC) will hold a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 2:30 p.m. to consider any necessary changes to the temporary moratorium on oil and gas development applications and seismic testing in unincorporated Boulder County, which is currently set to expire July 31. The moratorium is in effect while staff updates the existing oil and gas regulations in response to the passage of Senate Bill 19-181. However, the previous schedule for public review of the regulations was vacated due to COVID-19.

At the July 14 BOCC public hearing, which will be held virtually (see details below), county staff will propose a revised schedule for public review of the draft regulations that were released March 6 and are available for review on the county oil and gas website. Written public testimony only will be taken for the July 14 hearing on the moratorium.

Based on the information presented by staff and public testimony, the BOCC will determine whether to extend, terminate, or further amend the temporary moratorium.

What: Board of Boulder County Commissioners’ Public Hearing on the merits of the temporary moratorium on oil and gas development applications and seismic testing in unincorporated Boulder County and to determine whether the moratorium should be extended, terminated, or further amended.
When: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.
Webstream: www.boco.org/BOCC-OG-July-14-20

Written comments may be submitted to oilgascomment@bouldercounty.org or mailed to the Boulder County Commissioners’ Office, P.O. Box 471, Boulder, CO 80306. Comments must be received by 8 a.m. on Monday, July 13 in order to be considered by the Board of County Commissioners prior to the July 14 public hearing.

Background

On April 11, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution enacting the strongest set of regulations on oil and gas development in the State of Colorado. Since that date, no applications have been filed with the Boulder County Land Use Department to seek a permit for oil and gas development. Recently, however, an oil and gas operator indicated an interest in applying for a drilling permit with Boulder County. On June 4, 2019, the commissioners authorized Boulder County staff to work on Docket DC-19-0002 Amendments to Article 12 of the Land Use Code which addresses oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County. The update to the county’s oil and gas regulations follows the passage of SB19-181 which prioritizes the local protection of public safety, health, welfare, and the environment in the regulation of the oil and gas industry and grants additional authority to local governments to regulate oil and gas development.