FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  November 7, 2012  Contact: Dan Rowland, 303-441-3399

County Commissioners to review draft Land Use Code regulations for oil and gas development

Public hearing set for Tuesday, Nov. 13

Boulder County, Colo. – After receiving feedback from the public and the county Planning Commission, Boulder County has released a revised draft a set of proposed Land Use Code regulations for oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County.

The draft regulations are available for review on the county’s Oil and Gas Development webpage.

The Board of County Commissioners is actively seeking review and comment from the public, industry and state agencies and will hold a hearing on Nov. 13 to hear a Land Use staff presentation and take comments from the public.

What: Public hearing on the Draft Development Plan Review regulations addressing oil and gas development within the county’s Land Use Code

When: Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m.

Where: Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder

Public testimony will be taken at the hearing (each speaker is allowed 3 minutes). Written comments are also encouraged and can be emailed tocommissioners@nullbouldercounty.org or submitted to staff in hard copy at the hearing.

Should the hearing run late, the commissioners have the option of delaying their discussion and subsequent direction to staff until a hearing tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. Additional public testimony would not be taken at that hearing.

Both hearings will be streamed live at www.bouldercounty.org/government/pages/hearings.aspx.

The regulations are intended to address issues raised by the Planning Commission in its recent update of the Comprehensive Plan policies applicable to oil and gas development and to reflect today’s industry, its practices, and impacts on land use, transportation, public health, parks and open space, and other environmental and natural resources across Boulder County.

Additionally, the regulations intend to respond to public questions and concerns and address land use compatibility issues, emergency response, and to provide the maximum protection possible for local public health, safety, and welfare under current state and federal law.

Lastly, an overarching goal is to require that impacts from oil and gas operations be mitigated to the greatest extent possible, where they cannot be entirely avoided.

Timeline

• Feb. 2 – The Board of County Commissioners approve a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits under the county Land Use Code (Resolution 2012-16) and release a statement detailing their concerns about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county.

• March 1 – Public hearing for commissioners to hear staff presentations and public testimony. After the four-hour hearing, commissioners direct staff to continue gathering information about the impacts of oil and gas drilling on air, water, land, roads and infrastructure.

• April 16 – Commissioners vote unanimously to extend temporary moratorium on processing of applications for oil and gas development in unincorporated parts of the county until Feb. 4, 2013 (Resolution 2012-46).

• May 16 – Planning Commission authorizes the initiation of an amendment process to the oil and gas policies in the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan.

• June 20 – Planning Commission reviews proposed oil and gas policy amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.

• July 18 – Planning Commission further reviews proposed oil and gas poly amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.

• Aug. 15 – Planning Commission adopts amendments to Comprehensive Plan.

• Aug. 22 – County Commissioners and Planning Commission hold a joint study session to discuss possible future Land Use Code amendments.

• Sept. 24 – Land Use Staff presented proposed oil and gas Land Use Code regulations to Planning Commission during a Special Session, and Planning Commission takes public testimony.

• Oct. 1 – Continued discussion of proposed oil and gas Land Use Code regulations during Planning Commission Special Session.

• Oct. 17 – Planning Commission continues discussion of the proposed oil and gas Land Use Code regulations at their regular monthly meeting, and takes public testimony.

• Oct. 30 – Planning Commission recommends approval of the proposed oil and gas Land Use Code regulations to the Board of County Commissioners.

The county anticipates adopting a set of regulations by the end of the year. For more information about the county’s role in oil and gas development, upcoming meetings and public involvement opportunities, visit the county’s Oil and Gas Development webpage or contact Jim Webster at 720-564-2600 orjbwebster@nullbouldercounty.org.

-BoulderCounty.org-