• No new oil and gas development has occurred in unincorporated Boulder County since 2012.
• To receive this information in another language, please email Gloria Handyside ghandyside@bouldercounty.gov.

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County continues to monitor and regulate oil and gas activities within the county. Notably, no new oil and gas development has occurred in unincorporated Boulder County since 2012. No drilling applications have been submitted since 2011 and none are pending. Additionally, since 2022, 43 existing wells in unincorporated Boulder County have been plugged and are no longer active.

The Boulder County Commissioners remain concerned about the potential for oil and gas development within the county. The commissioners support appropriately tight restrictions and local control to mitigate the impact of these activities.

Boulder County reviewed and updated the county’s oil and gas regulations in 2020 in response to the changes made by Colorado Senate Bill 19-181. The commissioners approved the county’s updated regulations, which create stricter oil and gas regulations than the State of Colorado’s oil and gas regulations.

Monitoring, Enforcement, Rulemaking, and Legislation

In addition to the county’s strong regulations for new oil and gas development, the county also remains vigilant in inspecting and monitoring existing wells, and in enforcing against gas leaks. The county’s jurisdiction for these activities extends to the unincorporated parts of the county – it does not include lands within the incorporated towns and cities.

Boulder County is committed to ongoing legislative, legal, environmental, and public health approaches to help minimize the impacts of oil and gas development on people and the environment and continues to monitor actions at the state level. The latest Oil and Gas Year-End Report includes more detail on statistics and information about oil and gas development and the activities of the Oil and Gas Team.

The commissioners hosted a Town Hall event which includes an overview of the county’s approach to oil and gas.

More information can be found on the county’s Oil and Gas Development website.

• Visit the County Commissioners' webpage
• View the Commissioners' Meeting Documents and Records
• Email the Board of County Commissioners

Americans with Disabilities Act Notice

Special Assistance
Boulder County wants to ensure that everyone has equal access to our programs, activities, and services. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email the ADA Coordinator at ada@bouldercounty.gov, or call 303-441-1386. Submit your request as early as possible, and no later than two business days before the event. Review the Boulder County's ADA Policy