Judge overturns Fort Collins fracking moratorium
An oil pump operates in the Heathfire subdivision Thursday, August 7, 2014. A Larimer County judge recently overturned Fort Collins five year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.(Photo: Erin Hull/The Coloradoan)A Larimer County judge overturned Fort Collins five year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing Thursday, offering yet another blow to voter led guidance of Colorado s oil and gas development concerns.
It has been a week of dashed hopes for grassroots groups and lawmakers pushing for voter approved changes on both sides of the oil and gas debate. On Monday, a last minute deal by Gov. John Hickenlooper resulted in four potential measures being withdrawn from consideration for a statewide vote in November in exchange for the state backipatagonia guide pants zip off1ng off from a lawsuit over Longmont s ban on fracking.
While the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission agreed to scrap its lawsuit against Longmont s 2012 fracking ban, patagonia women's better fleece jacketthe Colorado Oil and Gas Association charged ahead with lawsuits against Fort Collins and Lafayette.
patagonia rock guide pants ukOn Thursday, 8th Judicial District Judge Gregory M. Lammons ruled to overturn the moratorium approved by Fort Collins voters last November. COGA, a trade association, filed the civil lawsuit against the city on Dec. 3, 2013.
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In the court order issued Thursday, the decision to overturn Fort Collins moratorium partly hinged on a 2013 agreement. The ordinance violated a May 2013 operator agreement signed by the city, which allowed former Fort Collins Field owner Prospatagonia guide pants zip off2pect Energy, LLC to frack patagonia travel & vacation guidewells in city limits.
Ultimately, the court declared that the five year halt to new developmentpatagonia outlet store dallas violated the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act, initially passed in 1951, which declares that oil and gas activity in Colorado is above all a state priority. Longmont s ban came up against a similar ruling in Boulder County court.
I think it s clear how the courts are leaning that they (bans) are illegapatagonia discount code dswl in the first place, said former Fort Collins Mayor Ray Martinez, who campaigned against the moratorium last fall. And those are the things that we cautioned about. The city shouldn t even begin to think of trying to fight this.
Fort Collins moratorium would have stopped new wells from being fracked within city limits for five years, while the city performed a study on the health impacts of fracking.
We are disappointed at the outcome, Daggett said, adding that the city is reviewing the judge s order and will be considering its options.
Karen Wagner, with Citizens for a Healthy Fort Collins, which advocated for the moratorium, echoed Daggett s thoughts on Thursday. We are very disappointed, she said.
Wells have npatagonia guide pants zip off3ot been fracked in Fort Collins for at least two years, and there are no pending or issued permits to drill wells within thpatagonia guide pants zip off0e city limits, COGCC data shows. Still, for groups concernedpatagonia guide pants and shirts about the potential imppatagonia guide pants expanderacts of increased oil and gas development in Fort Collins and along Colorado s Front Range, recent decisions have been dispiriting.
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Aftepatagonia guide pants zip offr the Legislature failed to reach a compromise on new oil and gas regulations this spring, Wagner was looking forward to having issues surrounding oil and gas development put to the state s voters.
