Attorney General again expresses concerns over county oil and gas regulations

The Attorney General's Office, acting on behalf of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, today sent El Paso County a letter raising concerns with the county's newly adopted oil and gas regulations.

At issue is the county's plans for groundwater monitoring at oil and gas drilling sites. The county's rules, which were approved by county commissioners Jan. 31 in a 3-2 vote, call for groundwater to be tested before drilling begins and then again at one, three and six-year intervals after drilling is finished.

The oil and gas commission has approved similar monitoring schemes elsewhere in the state and Dave Neslin, the commission's director, has said that he is open to working with El Paso County on local rules, but insists that the decision-making be made at the state level rather than locally.

In the hearing over the proposed county rules, commissioners Darryl Glenn and Peggy Littleton argued that the county should give the state's authority a wide berth, while commissioners Amy Lathen, Sallie Clark and Dennis Hisey said that water quality was too important a local issue to be left to the state.

On Thursday, county commissioners will discuss the oil and gas regulations and clarifying the county's application process.