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Garfield County opposes federal fracing rules
Herald Staff ReportCommissioners of the heavy natural gas-producing county this week approved a resolution that opposes legislation in U.S. Congress that would bring the practice under regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Fracing entails pumping sand, water and chemicals into rock formations at high pressure to break them open and release gas.
Proponents of the federal legislation say it is necessary to protect groundwater supplies. Opponents say fracing poses no threat to drinking water and that existing state regulations are adequate.
La Plata County commissioners have considered two fracing-related resolutions: one to support the federal legislation, called the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals, or FRAC, Act, and one calling for more study of the process.
The former was defeated, with Commissioners Joelle Riddle and Kellie Hotter voting against it and Commissioner Wally White voting in favor. The latter, introduced by Riddle as a compromise, did not come to a vote after White criticized it as not going far enough.
In Garfield County, the resolution opposing the FRAC act passed 2-1.
According to the Colorado Oil & Gas Association, nine counties have come out against the FRAC act, while two - Pitkin and San Miguel - formally support it.
kburford@durangoherald.com'>kburford@durangoherald.com
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Friday, November 13, 2009
at 11:35:11 AM
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jellyroll says...
I'm sooooo glad to see we do indeed still have some intelligent people in this oounty...those not driven by enviro fear-mongering but have true & accurate knowledge of the O/G industry! TY Jenny, Smoove & Jim!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
at 9:53:41 PM
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jenny says...
Congratulations! The headline of this article "No Rules on Fracing" should win an award for the most misleading headline ever. Not only are there numerous state regulations that oversee the fracing process, there has never been an incident where a "fracing accident" resulted in contamination to a water aquifer. Fracing occurs thousands below drinking water aquifers. San Miguel and Pitkin counties should stick to passing resolutions on subjects they understand, like passing zoning regs that keep undesirable people (those that work for a living) out of their pristine villages.Obviously, the commissioners of those two counties would have no qualms with stopping drilling or at the very least making it more costly and difficult to do. In the spirit of Marie-Antoinette "Let them burn wood".
Thursday, November 12, 2009
at 3:53:01 PM
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Smoove says...
What an unbelievably biased article. This should be on the editorial pages. Fracking is heavily regulated right now at the state level. The FRAC Act will protect no groundwater whatsoever. Opponents don't care a lick about protecting water. They simply want to make natural gas development go away - which is all the FRAC Act will accomplish. And, this would be a real crime as natural gas provides reliable baseload energy which is cleaner than coal. Renewables won't get it done despite the prayers and wishes of enviros.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
at 2:54:28 PM
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D.J. Gulliford says...
"In Garfield County, the resolution opposing the FRAC act passed 2-1."
Yup, from gasfield county. Two repugs and one, our only, dem. God help you down south. For us up here I fear the next election will be too late.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
at 7:45:20 AM
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Jim Smith says...
The Frac rules (Federal) are as misguided at the famous Pit rules in New Mexico. The only purpose they serve will be to curtail drilling. Until there is a viable alternate energy source, lets dont cut off our tax base.