Commissioners Approve Amended Oil and Gas Regulatory Process

Ending a six-week moratorium on new oil and gas permit applications, the Board of County Commissioners today approved amendments to the county’s regulatory process by a 3-2 vote.

 

A vote on a separate amendment to revise the county's fee schedule to add new application fees for administrative use by special review application also passed on a 3-2 vote with the Board's direction to create a task force to provide recommendations on traffic impact fees as they relate to oil and gas production.

 

The updated regulations and policy solutions include an enhanced administrative review process for operators who share a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county. Embedded in that administrative review process is a site-specific review of any oil and gas permit application.

 

“We are grateful to our staff and outside legal counsel Jeff Robbins for the incredible amount of work that went into this complex issue in only a six-week period,” said Board Chairman Steve O’Dorisio. “Our objective throughout this period was to develop a process that will address the land and surface issues and the concerns of our community members while not creating unreasonable obstructions for oil and gas development.”

 

Commissioners also approved four pending MOUs submitted by Extraction Oil and Gas, PDC Energy, PetroShare Corporation and Synergy Resources Corporation.

 

The Board of Commissioners also authorized the County Manager to hire two new full-time positions to support the regulation of oil and gas in the county. Those positions include a Local Government Designee (LGD) and an oil and gas inspector who will potentially work in concert with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.