Guardians, Colorado Rising, community groups demand pause in fracking during new rulemaking

Guardians and Colorado Rising, a western advocacy group enforcing clean air standards, sent letters signed by many community groups to Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Public Health, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission today, notifying them of the need to pause oil and gas permitting as they work quickly to implement newly enacted SB 181.

SB 181, also known as “Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations” puts public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources above unmitigated oil and gas production, overhauling the Conservation Commission and requiring the Colorado Department of Public Health to adopt new rules on air pollution and emissions. In the letters, Guardians and allies detail the need for careful consideration during the oil and gas permitting process to honor SB 181’s mandates.

“Passage of SB 181 gave us hope that our health, safety and welfare finally mattered. But the process is like a runaway train,” said Susan Noble, a resident of Commerce City, Colo. “We’re scared the health of our community will be sacrificed.”

Read the press release.

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