Commissioners Cheer Passage of Sweeping Oil And Gas Bill

BOULDER, CO -- The Boulder County Commissioners issued a statement this week celebrating the passage of SB 181, a bill that will give local governments more control over the drilling activity of the oil and gas industry and will mandate that state regulators prioritize health and safety in their decisions. The legislation was sponsored by Boulder County legislators Mike Foote and Steve Fenberg in the Senate and KC Becker in the House, and was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on Tuesday.

"The bill levels the playing field for local governments by giving them more control and a stronger voice in what takes place inside their borders," the Boulder County Commissioners wrote in their statement of support that afternoon. "Of particular importance is the explicit authority for local governments to address where this intensive industrial activity is sited...so that local governments can keep it away from homes and schools, just like they keep other incompatible uses apart."

"Scrutinizing oil and gas development through a different lens that prioritizes the protection of people and the environment, and holding operators to higher standards, will allow for better outcomes that safeguard Coloradans."

The communities of Boulder County have long fought against aggressive drilling operations that impacted their citizens, but have lacked substantial authority to restrict the activity. Longmont established an outright ban on fracking that was struck down by the Colorado Supreme Court in 2016. Boulder County had a series of moratoriums on drilling that extended from February 2012 to May 2017 that had to be abandoned after the state attorney general threatened legal action against the county. The voters of Boulder and Lafayette voiced their approval for restricted drilling by passing twin ballot measures in the 2018 election that levied a fee on oil and gas activity within city limits.

"Boulder County will continue to enforce its regulations which have been made stronger by SB 181," the commissioners wrote. "The county will use the new local government authority provided by SB 181 to protect Boulder County residents, visitors, and ecosystems to the full extent provided by law."