Oil & Gas Development

Upcoming Public Hearings and Meetings

Meetings will be posted as scheduled. Sign up for oil/gas email news for meetings notifications.

Recent Public Hearings and Meetings

Board of County Commissioners Public Meeting – April 25, 2017

Public meeting for the Board of County Commissioners to discuss approaches, other than local land use regulations, to reduce the impacts of oil and gas development in Boulder County. The meeting was webstreamed and archived (select Event Bookmark #9).
Documents:

• Boulder County Commissioners pledge to continue to protect public health, safety, and the environment from local oil & gas development, April 25, 2017
• Staff presentation to Board of County Commissioners, April 25, 2017
• Press Release: County Commissioners to review multi-pronged approach to addressing potential public health and community impacts of oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County, April 21, 2017

Board of County Commissioners Public Meeting – March 23, 2017

Docket DC-16-0004: Amendments to Oil and Gas Development Regulations

Public Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to consider proposed Land Use Code amendments addressing oil and gas development within the Boulder County Land Use Code. Public testimony regarding this item was taken at the BOCC public hearing on March 14, 2017.
Action Requested/Taken: Discussion and action. The Board of County Commissioners voted (3-0) to approve the proposed regulations as one part of a multi-pronged approach to address oil and gas in unincorporated Boulder County.
Documents:

• Staff Report to BOCC for March 23, 2017
• Staff presentation to the BOCC for March 23, 2017
• Public meeting video from March 23, 2017 (select Event Bookmark # 11)
• Press release regarding adoption of the new oil and gas regulations, March 23, 2017
• Approved Boulder County oil and gas development regulations, effective March 23, 2017 (Resolution 2017-55)

Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing – March 14, 2017

Docket DC-16-0004: Amendments to Oil and Gas Development Regulations

Public Hearing for the Board of County Commissioners to consider proposed Land Use Code amendments addressing oil and gas development within the Boulder County Land Use Code. Public testimony was taken.Since the March 14 public hearing included several hours of testimony, the County Commissioners did not schedule a deliberation/decision meeting as part of the March 14 hearing. The deliberation public meeting was scheduled for March 23, 2017, where they discussed their findings from the public hearing and considered new oil and gas regulations for unincorporated Boulder County. No additional public testimony was taken on March 23, 2017.
Action Requested/Taken: Discussion. After several hours of public testimony, the Commissioners gave staff direction to make additional changes to the draft regulations for consideration on March 23, 2017.
Documents:

• DC-16-0004: BOCC Staff Report (including revised Draft Regulations) for March 14, 2017
• Staff presentation to the BOCC on March 14, 2017
• Public hearing video from March 14, 2017 (select Event Bookmark # 11)

County Commissioners extend temporary moratorium on processing oil and gas development applications

Board of County Commissioners public hearing, Dec. 13, 2016 – The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) considered the status of the temporary moratorium that was due to expire the end of January 2017. County staff requested a time period of approximately four months to finalize and implement new oil and gas regulations based on direction given by the BOCC on Nov. 15 and 17, 2016. Staff stated that they would need time to research and draft many of the additional provisions requested by the Board and to prepare to implement and administer the regulations. The Board extended the existing moratorium on new oil and gas development to and through May 1, 2017. View the announcement.

• Presentation to BOCC for December 13, 2016
• Resolution 2016-137, Extending the Moratorium on Processing Oil and Gas Development Applications first Enacted by Resolution 2016-65.

Boulder County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners review of draft oil and gas development regulations (Docket DC-16-0004)

See announcement. Additional public meetings and hearings will be posted when scheduled.

Board of County Commissioners Public Meetings & Hearings (Docket DC-16-0004)

Board of County Commissioners public meeting, Nov. 17, 2016 – The Board adopted Resolution 2016-130 formalizing the moratorium extension through the end of January 2017 and established December 13 as the date on which a public hearing regarding the moratorium’s status will take place. Staff will provide an estimate of the time needed to complete the requested research and develop amendments to the proposed regulations at the Dec. 13 public hearing.
Documents:

• Staff presentation to Board of County Commissioners for Nov. 17, 2016
• Resolution 2016-130

Board of County Commissioners public hearing, Nov. 15, 2016 – After several hours of public testimony, the Commissioners gave staff direction to further inquire into and develop changes to the draft regulations. Since this work cannot be completed by Nov.18, when the current moratorium was set to expire, the Board voted 3-0 to extend the moratorium on an emergency basis until the end of January 2017 so that a public hearing could be set to determine the status of the moratorium (i.e., if and how long to further extend the moratorium based on staff’s estimate of time regarding the necessary work to be done).
Documents:

• DC-16-0004: Staff report to Board of County Commissioners (including Draft Regulations) for Nov. 15, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Staff presentation to Board of County Commissioners for Nov. 15, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Public hearing video from Nov. 15, 2016 (select Event Bookmark 7)

Planning Commission Public Meetings & Hearings (Docket DC-16-0004)

Planning Commission public meeting, Oct. 27, 2016 – The Planning Commission voted (9-0) to:
A) recommend approval of the proposed regulations (Docket DC-16-0004) to the Board of County Commissioners, with the edits and direction they provided at the October 27, 2016 public meeting, and
B) recommend that the Board of County Commissioners continue with a multi-pronged approach to addressing oil and gas development and consider a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits, for a period of time less than 5 years, to craft additional regulations based on new and recently published studies.
No further testimony was taken.
Documents:

• DC-16-0004: Staff report to Planning Commission for Oct. 27, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Staff presentation to Planning Commission for Oct. 27, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas studies October 27, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Planning Commission meeting audio, Oct. 27, 2016

Planning Commission public hearing, Oct. 12, 2016 – Public comment was taken.
Documents:

• DC-16-0004: Staff report to Planning Commission for Oct. 12, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Staff presentation to Planning Commission for Oct. 12, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Public hearing audio from Oct. 12, 2016

Past Review of Oil & Gas Development Regulations

View past review history

Public Comment Submission

Submit a comment via email

Recent Public Comments

• Oil/gas public comments received after April 25, 2017
• Oil/gas public comments received March 24 through April 25, 2017
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received after noon on March 14, 2017 through March 23, 2017
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received Jan. 1 through noon on March 14, 2017
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received Dec. 1 through 1, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received Nov. 1 through 30, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received Oct. 13 through 31, 2016
• DC-16-0004: Oil/gas public comments received Sept. 27 through Oct. 12, 2016

Crestone Peak Resources’ Comprehensive Drilling Plan Application to Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

On Feb. 22, 2017, Crestone Peak Resources Operating LLC filed an application with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), asking approval of a “Comprehensive Drilling Plan,” or CDP, in Boulder County. A CDP is a preliminary step toward oil and gas development that attempts to plan for development throughout a large area. Crestone’s CDP covers 12 square miles (view map) in eastern Boulder County, between Longmont and Erie. Crestone’s CDP application contains few details on its plans; it has said it intends to develop the substance of the plan over the next 6-9 months, with input from local governments, state agencies and affected landowners. The application does call for a maximum of 216 wells divided among a maximum of 18 separate well pads throughout the CDP area.

In addition, Crestone asked the COGCC to put a hold on accepting any applications to drill in the CDP area while the plan is developed. Two other operators, 8 North LLC and Kerr-McGee, opposed the hold request, but on April 30, 2017, all three operators agreed to a nine-month voluntary standstill on filing any permit applications for the CDP area with the COGCC. The final CDP is now expected to be in front of the COGCC in February 2018. County staff is well aware of the significant concerns raised by large-scale drilling in the county and is committed to doing all it can to avoid or mitigate any impacts involved with the CDP.

County staff from all affected departments, including the Land Use Department and County Attorney’s Office, is taking advantage of every chance to gather information on Crestone’s plans, and the plans of other operators and stakeholders, and to provide input. Staff has pushed for further information on how the processes for developing and approving the plan will be conducted and when and how the public can give input and will make all information received available to the public.

Whether or not the CDP is ultimately approved, Crestone and any other operator will be required to go through the new Boulder County regulatory process before beginning any development.

Below are all the major documents filed in the CDP process.

Documents:

• Crestone Notice of Hearing 170500190 (May 1-2, 2017)
• Crestone Comprehensive Drilling Plan application 170500189
• Crestone drilling and spacing unit application 170500190
• Crestone drilling and spacing unit application 170500191
• Crestone drilling and spacing unit application 170500192
• Kerr-McGee’s Protest to Variance Request
• 8 North’s Protest to Variance Request
• Kenosha RPO’s Motion to Intervene
• Boulder County’s Rule 510 Statement, submitted April 21, 2017 in advance of the May 1 COGCC hearing on the standstill issue – Operators 8 North and Kerr-McGee filed substantial protests to Crestone’s request for an interim hold on drilling applications at the COGCC. County staff believe such a hold is to the County’s benefit and therefore filed the following statement for the COGCC’s consideration at its May 1 hearing. Staff also intends to appear and speak at the hearing on the issues raised by the hold request.
• COGCC Statement of Basis, Specific Statutory Authority, and Purpose
• Crestone response to COGCC-requested information, April 10, 2017
• 8 North LLC Pre-Hearing Brief, April 24, 2017
• Kenosha RPO Pre-Hearing Brief, April 24, 2017
• Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP Pre-Hearing Brief, April 24, 2017
• Final Trial Brief, April 24, 2017
• Final Stipulated Facts, April 24, 2017
• COGCC stipulation for Operators’ voluntary standstill agreement; Order 1-199, May 1, 2017
• Letter from Boulder County to COGCC regarding Process for Rule 216 CDP Determination, July 7, 2017

View COGCC rules for hearings. Rules 509 and 510 address objections and testimony at hearings. View COGCC instructions to submit a written statement under Rule 510.

Colorado Attorney General Lawsuit Against Boulder County

On May 2, 2017, the Boulder District Court dismissed the lawsuit filed by the Attorney General, as the issues became moot when the moratorium expired May 1. 2017.

• Colorado Attorney General Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief – Feb. 14, 2017
• Boulder County Response to Lawsuit Filed by the Colorado Attorney General – Feb. 14, 2017
• Motion to Intervene and Complaint from Colorado Oil and Gas Association and American Petroleum Institute – Feb. 24, 2017
• Boulder County Statement and Media Release – Feb. 27, 2017
• Motion to Dismiss State of Colorado’s Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief – March 7, 2017
• Motion To Dismiss Colorado Oil And Gas Association’s And American Petroleum Institute’s Joint Complaint – March 17, 2017
• Colorado Oil And Gas Association’s And American Petroleum Institute’s Joint Motion For Summary Judgment – March 20, 2017
• The State’s Motion for Summary Judgment – March 20, 2017
• Motion For Extension Of Time To Respond To Colorado Oil And Gas Association’s And American Petroleum Institute’s Joint Motion For Summary Judgment And The State’s Motion For Summary Judgment – March 23, 2017
• Joint Partial Opposition to Boulder’s Motion for Extension of Time – March 24, 2017
• Order re Defendant’s Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Colorado Oil and Gas Association’s and American Petroleum Institute’s Joint Motion for Summary Judgment and the State’s Motion for Summary Judgment – March 24, 2017
• The State’s Memorandum in Opposition to Boulder’s Motion to Dismiss – March 28, 2017
• Colorado Oil And Gas Association’s And American Petroleum Institute’s Joint Response To Boulder’s Motion To Dismiss – March 30, 2017
• Reply to State’s Memorandum in Opposition to County’s Motion to Dismiss State of Colorado’s Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, April 11, 2017
• Reply to COGA/API’S Joint Response to County’s Motion to Dismiss COGA/API’S Joint Complaint, April 13, 2017
• Order Denying Boulder County’s Motion To Dismiss, April 26, 2017
• County’s Unopposed Motion to Dismiss State of Colorado’s Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and COGA/API’s Joint Complaint, May 2, 2017
• Order Granting Defendants’ Unopposed Motion to Dismiss State of Colorado’s Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief and COGA/API’s Joint Complaint, May 2, 2017

Response to Letter from the Colorado Attorney General – Jan. 27, 2017

The Board of County Commissioners received a letter from the Colorado Office of the Attorney General on Jan. 26, 2017. Boulder County responded to the Attorney General’s letter on Jan. 27.

• Letter from the Colorado Office of the Attorney General
• Boulder County Attorney’s Response
• Boulder County Public Statement and Media Release – Jan. 27, 2017

Oil and Gas Development Map

The Boulder County Land Use Department has made a Boulder County oil and gas development map available using Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission GIS data

Boulder County oil and gas development map

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) Complaint Process

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has launched a new complaint process.

Oil & Gas Health Information and Response Program

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has launched a new Oil & Gas Health Information and Response Program website.