By Saja Hindi | The Denver Post
Anti-fracking nonprofit Colorado Rising is asking a federal judge to force the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to temporarily ban issuing new oil and gas permits until rulemaking is complete.
The advocacy group filed a complaint Tuesday in Colorado District Court.
The commission is considering amendments to its rules after Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 19-181, Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations, a law intended to make sweeping changes to how the oil and gas industry is regulated, including prioritizing public health, safety and the environment when considering oil and gas development.
The COGCC temporarily halted new permits while the commission director wrote guidelines to use while the new regulations are developed. The criteria allow COGCC Director Jeff Robbins to hold up or deny permits based on those 16 guidelines. Although critics say the number of new permits issued is back up to levels before SB 181 was passed, Robbins disputed those claims last month, saying the number of permits approved for new oil site locations has decreased.
