The Issue of Fracking In Our Community

The Quick and Dirty:

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a heavy industrial process to extract oil and natural gas (methane) out of rock. Millions of barrels of water mixed with hundreds of undisclosed (often toxic) chemicals and sand are injected into the earth under extremely high pressure to crack apart the rock, keep those cracks open with sand, and force oil and natural gas to the surface.

Currently in Boulder County …

11,680 acres of Open Space and private property near homes, schools, and neighborhoods are targeted for more than 200 fracking wells within three CDPs (Comprehensive Drilling Plans) proposed by Crestone Peak and 8 North LLC.

Want to dig in deeper?

• Watch the Fracking 101 videos to the right (or below).
• Visit 350 Colorado’s Fracking Resource Hub
• Visit the Hydraulic Fracturing page at EarthWorks.
• View proposed drilling maps: All 3 CDPs | Crestone Peak
• Take a look at Boulder County’s multi-pronged approach to Oil & Gas Development
• Search the latest updates, events, law suits from Boulder County

Local Organizations Addressing Fracking

clean-energy-action — working at the local, state and national level on issues related to clean energy and climate change mitigation

ColoradoRising — powering the grassroots effort to pass a statewide ballot initiative establishing common sense protections for our communities from the dangers of oil & gas development and fracking

earth-guardians — Growing a resilient movement with youth at the forefront by empowering them as leaders and amplifying their impact

A powerful tool that enables communities to use the best available technology to expose toxic fracking air pollution

ebocounited — Saying no to every single oil and gas permit in Boulder County, Colorado, through direct action trainings, community outreach, and education.

empower our future — a coalition of organizations and individuals in support of clean energy for Boulder promoting moving forward toward municipalization

ErieProtectorsLogo — A group of concerned residents of Erie, Colorado intent on protecting our families, our neighborhoods, and our town from the negative impacts of oil & gas development

food-and-water-watch — Championing healthy food and clean water for all, standing up to corporations that put profits before people, and advocating for a democracy that improves people’s lives and protects our environment.

HerbalGardensLogo — Community focused health and wellness model providing the opportunity to contribute as one member to the greater good of the community

just-transition-collaborative — engaging in community partnerships, projects, and research to advance environmental justice in the transition to a sustainable economy

logic — Elevating the voices of Coloradans around the state living near current and proposed oil and gas operations and for all concerned citizens working to pass balanced energy development policies that protect neighborhoods, homes, and our Colorado quality of life

moms-clean-air-force-co — working actively to address climate change issues that disproportionately harm communities of color

new-era-colorado — leading voice for young people in politics around the state

OllinFarmsLogo — Producing top quality farm products while continuing to regenerate surrounding ecosystems

OneEarthSangha — Bringing the essential wisdom and practices from the Buddhist tradition to collective engagement on critical ecological crises

Nuclear, Guardianship, Global Peace, Social Justice, Nonviolent Education, Economic Justice, and Critical Media Literacy education and action groups focus on specific, interconnected issues and promote democratic participation by community members.

SierraLogoNew — Educating members and the community about local environmental issues - from public lands and wildlife protection to climate change, renewable energy alternatives and pollinator protection

SuedeLightLogo — Engaging the public, directly and through social media, with artful and compelling messages and graphics projected onto public buildings in order to provide a basic education about fracking

SustainableLogo — Collaborating with the Longmont community to cultivate a sustainable and thriving city

TogetherAgainstDrillingLogo — Working to make strategic opportunities to fight oil and gas drilling in our community accessible to as many stakeholders as possible

UniversalistChurchLogo — Promoting sustainability practices at the individual and societal level

Should your organization be listed?

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Call for BoldClimateLeadership

In a time of crisis, #BoldClimateLeadership is needed by our Governor to ensure that legislation to protect our communities from fracking and to address the climate crisis succeeds this Legislative session! Watch and share the video, then sign and share the petition!

See the proposed oil and gas drilling plans

In Boulder County, 11,680 acres of Open Space and private property near homes, schools, and neighborhoods are targeted for drilling and fracking. Extraction 8 North and Crestone Peak Energy have submitted permits to frack 192 wells in Boulder County. Learn More

Let Your Legislator Know You Support the Bill

Senate Bill 19-181 passed out of the Colorado Senate last week and has moved on to the House. This week, the bill will need approval in three House Committees: Energy, Finance and Appropriations. We have enough votes in these committees, but we still need to demonstrate strong support to our legislators, many of whom are being pressured by oil & gas lobbyists. Contact your House member

Check out real-time Methane and VOC levels in our air

The results of atmospheric near-real time monitoring at the Boulder Reservoir are availble online. This monitoring was sponsored by Boulder County Public Health and is conducted by researchers at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment. See what you are breathing now

Navigating the Issue

Health and Safety

Public Health & Safety Impacts of Drilling & Fracking | from Hold Our Ground

A New Fracking Landscape: Report on Recent Science Shows Overwhelming Evidence of Harm | from Physicians for Social Responsibility

Economics

In Colorado, only 11,000 jobs are linked to fracking as compared to 66,000 jobs in renewable energy.

Economic Impacts of Drilling & Fracking | from Hold Our Ground

Fracking Safety In The Press | from Colorado Rising

Is Natural Gas a “Clean Fuel?”

Studies by NOAA and other researchers have shown vast leakage of methane – a potent greenhouse gas – from fracking well-heads. They have documented that about 4% of natural gas production in the Denver-Julesberg Basin is leaking directly into the atmosphere, and found as much as 17% of total methane produced leaking in other regions. This has resulted in some researchers surmising that fracking may be as dangerous to our climate as burning coal—if not more so.

Boulder County’s Position

In order to maximize the use of its limited local authority and protect county residents, Boulder County is committed to undertaking a series of legislative, legal, environmental, and public health approaches to help minimize the impacts of oil and gas development on people and the environment. View details of the county’s multi-pronged approach.

Map of Oil and Gas Facilities in Boulder County

COGCC

Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission complaint form

In The News

Local elected officials decry, welcome bill overhauling regulation of Colorado’s oil and gas industry

Opponents of a bill that would overhaul how oil and gas are regulated in Colorado charge that the legislation is being rushed through the legislature. Josh Joswick’s reaction: Thirty years isn’t rushing it. Joswick, a former three-term La Plata County commissioner, was among nearly 200 people who spoke during a 12-hour hearing by the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee on March 5. Joswick told the committee that Senate Bill 19-181 was a long time coming… Read on Denver Post

Truth testing oil and gas ads as Colorado legislature considers new rules

Colorado’s oil and gas industry is worried enough about proposed new regulations being considered in the legislature that they are digging into their pockets to run campaign-style ads. Read on 9News

It’s not the oil & gas biz that faces the greatest risk; it’s neighbors and taxpayers

On the day the Senate Finance Committee heard Senate Bill 181, the Protect Public Safety Oil and Gas Operations bill, the Denver metro area had an air quality index reading of 152, or unhealthy. That’s three times worse than Beijing, China on the same day. Bad air comes from cars at 50 percent and oil and gas drilling at 50 percent… Read on Colorado Politics

Health Impacts of Fracking

One of the main arguments made in favor of regulating and in some cases banning fracking is the health impacts on humans. There have been several studies showing an increase in asthma an impact on birth weight and other health issues related to fracking. Read and Listen on KGNU

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350 Colorado & Community Members Adress the COGCC

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