AURORA | Aurora’s eastern edge is ripe for oil and gas drilling, with even more expected throughout 2018. That’s a reality Aurora councilwoman Nicole Johnston knows well and the reason why she’s been pushing for more community input on the issue.
Despite defeat in a policy committee this week, Johnston, who represents Ward II where much of the city’s drilling is taking place, is forcing an ordinance proposal on to the full council that would alter the makeup of the city’s oil and gas advisory committee to increase the number of residents on the panel.
As the committee stands now, five residents, three industry representatives and three surface property owners make up the advisory committee. Up to two residents are to be from areas “most affected by oil and gas at the time of appointment,” according to city guidelines. But the rules don’t point out whether those panelists are allowed to be associated with oil and gas.
The proposals Johnston presented to the Public Relations, Communications, Tourism, Libraries, Boards and Commissions & Citizen Groups committee would either add two residents to the committee or subtracted one industry representative.
She said she brought two different proposals because sometimes it can be difficult to fill advisory committees such as the oil and gas committee, which she served on prior to being elected to city council in November.
Transparency in local government and accountability regarding the drilling near her home in Ward II were both campaign issues for her.
“I don’t want Aurora to become another Greeley with a thousand wells within the city including many near houses, schools and playgrounds,” Johnston told the Sentinel.
According to reports, approximately 600 wells have been drilled in Greeley city limits. A powerpoint presentation from a Greeley city employee cites 435 active wells in city limits and nearly 260 inactive wells.
Both proposals added a provision that only one citizen member shall “be a present or former employee, agent, or independent contractor of any oil and gas operator, pipeline company, rig company, and/or any other company actively engaged in the oil and industry.”
Those members also couldn’t make more than 50 percent of their annual salary from the oil and gas industry.
Additionally, it would bar all but one of the citizens from being a current or former lobbyist for the oil and gas industry or member or representative for any industry advocacy group.
Councilmembers Angela Lawson and Bob Roth voted against recommending the ordinance be forwarded on to the council study session. Councilwoman Allison Hiltz voted in favor. But council members are allowed to move an ordinance proposal to the full council if they wish. Johnston said she plans to.
The committee meeting attracted a handful of residents who said they support the change. Only one attendee, who said he is currently on the oil and gas advisory committee, opposed the measure, saying he thinks it could lead to advocacy instead of education.
One supporter, who said he worked in oil and gas for more than 40 years and serves on oil and gas-related boards in the region, said he thought more citizen members would be a good way to get information back to the community because it’s often difficult getting people to attend meetings.
During her presentation, Johnston said her ordinance proposal isn’t necessarily an oil and gas issue.
“This will not be the only committee I’ll be looking at having more of a community voice (on),” she said.
Johnston took a stab at elevating the concerns of Ward II residents earlier this month when she called up an item on the city council meeting agenda. She wanted a public hearing for the Eastern Hills oil and gas permit that was approved administratively.
ConocoPhillips, which is behind the permit, didn’t hold a neighborhood meeting at the request of city staff. Even though they aren’t required to, Johnston said during the council meeting she thought the voices of 75 residents who live near where the drilling would take place — primarily in the the Adonea, Murphy Creek and Traditions subdivisions — that commented on the application should be heard in some form or another.
An alternative haul route and a soundwall were also recommended by city staff. ConocoPhillips agreed to build a fence in place of the sound wall and talk with city staff about the haul route, as it is a condition of the permit.
The council refused to allow the call up after Johnston said she would continue to push for public hearings for oil and gas applications.
Councilman Bob LeGare said he wasn’t in favor of letting the residents have a hearing because it wouldn’t change the outcome. Oil and gas permits don’t need the approval of city council.