Erie, CO fighting for a quality of life

Ground zero in the new "gas patch" of Colorado.  Plenty of other places in CO (too many) have seen the kind of drilling that is occurring in Erie, but if you live in northern CO and you want to see what the gas patch on the front range looks like, take a drive through Erie.  You will notice condensate tanks scattered across the landscape (tan, round tanks, sometimes surrounded by chain link).  These tanks emit Hazardous Air Pollutants such as Benzene.  The one just upwind of the high-school on Erie Parkway emits 10.66 tons per year of Volatile Organic Compounds including Benzene.  Within a 5 km radius of the school oil/gas facilities emit over 412 tons per year (according to CO Air pollution Control Division).

Encana, an oil drilling company (with the distinction of having the largest fine in CO history), is planning on drilling and fracing 8 wells on a pad 350 feet from Erie Elementary School.

It's time to stop sacrificing or health and environment for the profit margin of the most profitable industry in history!  For a fraction more in financial expense the industry could operate in a safe and trusted manner.

For more info check out: http://gcmonitor.org/article.php?id=1339

For more about Erie specifics and getting involved:  www.erierising.com

Steamboat

Jared, Alex, Zak, and Derek will be canvassing in Steamboat Springs Monday, Feb. 6 through Wednesday the 8th as part of our statewide campaign to ensure that public health is protected from the dangers of oil & gas development.  

Routt County has been dealing with their own oil & gas issues and there will be a public forum with county commissioners and State officials on Feb. 21st at 5:30.  

which will be held in 

the Routt County Commissioners’ Hearing Room, except where specified, on the third floor of the 

Historic Courthouse Building, 522 Lincoln Ave., Steamboat Springs. Questions regarding these meetings 

should be directed to the Routt County Commissioners Office at (970) 879-0108. 

For more information check out:  www.RouttCountyFrack.org

Fracking could happen as far west as Golden, Lyons, and Boulder

great new mapping on line that shows the extent of the Niobrara -- this oil rich formation, the Niobrara, goes all the west right up to the Golden fault, so there is potential for drilling in all of these cities Boulder, Denver, Aurora, even all of Lakewood, heck drilling could go as far west as the foothills west of Golden since there is an overthust of the mountains there.

the intent here is to assuage the angst of us citizens by allowing any one to locate any point on the map within this box and determine the depth to the Niobrara, the thickness of the overlying Pierre Shale that overlies the Niobrara which should prevent upward migration of frack fluids into the Fox Hills aquifer that is on top the Pierre shale.  The Fox Hills formation is the deepest aquifer, there are three aquifers above: the Laramie, the Denver Fm and in some locations the alluvial aquifer.

these layers are in this order going down:

Alluvial aquifer

Denver Fm

Laramie Fm

Fox Hills

Pierre Shale

Niobrara

D Sands and J Sands of the Dakota Formation -- this is the historic oil and gas field that produces in the Wattenburg Field, so keep in mind that all wells drilled into the Niobrara will be above these 1000s of previous oil and gas wells, so any abandoned well not properly sealed could be a conduit upward for pollution as every prior oil and gas well penetrated right thru the Niobrara Fm.

Let's do this next to our schools and in our neighborhoods

Longmont takes action

The Longmont City Council voted unanamously in December to place a 120 day moritorium on oil and gas drilling within city limits.  The decision comes on the heels of citizen demand that the city take action and protect residents from potential harmful side effects of modern oil and gas drilling operations.  "ROAR" (citizens for Responsible Oil and Gas Regulation) is a group of local citizens that are leading the charge.  CforSE is asisting the effort by canvassing and generating hundreds of letters and statements of support to city council members.

This is a very loud and visible issue.  Many people in Longmont will be inspired to vote based upon council's decision, especially if gas wells begin to pop up in city parks and open spaces.  The current regulations allow drilling to occur as close as 350 feet from any occupied building!  How big is your neighborhood park?

Please visit  www.longmontroar.org  for more info and to get involved in the action!