Coming to a neighborhood near you...FRACKING!!
1/23/12 - CforSE typically focuses on issues that bring more sustainable energy options to Coloradoans, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy project financing. Unfortunately a new priority has emerged as an emergency issue for us in 2012.
Shale gas and oil development is bringing industrial extraction and processing facilities into residential areas. Due to the extensive history of accidents and spills, in addition to every day toxic air emissions and truck traffic/industrial activity at these sites, CforSE is joining others in the effort to: keep oil and gas development (fracked or not) a safe distance from residential areas, and to ensure that these operations do not adversely impact public health.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Department of Health and Environment have regulations to protect public health and promote oil & gas development. Unfortunately these regulations are violated on a regular basis, an average of 7 spills every 5 days, over 2,000,000 gallons of polluted water spilled since 2009 in CO. Toxic air pollution is even worse. An air sampling study in southwest CO found toxins 3 to 3,000 times higher than accepted safe air standards near gas operations in residential areas. Real-time air and water pollution monitoring needs to be in place at every well and the data needs to be posted on a public webite so that people can track wells near their homes. The regulations currently allow drilling to occur as close as 150 feet from any occupied building, and drilling companies have several proposals to drill that close to public schools. There is a growing consensus that 1,320 ft (1/4 mile) is safe distance from occupied buildings.
CforSE does not typically engage directly in public health and pollution issues, but we feel that it would be more difficult to put solar panels on your house if you have to pay expensive hospital bills because a condensate tank is blowing VOCs into your windows. This is a widespread and invasive problem, reaching communites all over the state. Under current regulations there are 832 locations within the city of Longmont that could be drilled. We need to change regulations and enforcement to more adequately protect public health.
For information about drilling in Longmont please visit www.longmontroar.org
You can email the Director of the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission and ask him to change the setback regulation to a minimum of 1,000 from any occupied building or public recreation area.