AURORA | The city’s loosely-organized oil and gas committee is one step closer to becoming a structured advisory board for the city government.
Aurora City Council members agreed Monday to move forward with an ordinance that requires the committee to create a formal mission statement, bylaws and define who its members are.
But some council members questioned the makeup of that committee, which under the proposed ordinance, would have three residents appointed to the committee by city council members, along with three oil-and-gas operators and three surface landowners. These surface landowners would be property owners with gas-and-oil rights either leasing them or developing them themselves.
“What my idea was with making a new committee structure was that people affected by gas and oil in their neighborhoods could have a seat at the table, and they’d be appointed by their HOA,” said Councilwoman Renie Peterson, who has proposed appointing two members to the committee from the two neighborhoods most affected by oil and gas drilling — the Adonea and Murphy Creek subdivisions — both in her ward.
Councilman Bob LeGare, who said he is a proponent of allowing the oil industry to conduct fracking at Aurora wells, agreed that the makeup of members seemed skewed in favor of oil and gas interests.
“You’re going to have six (members) that are pro-fracking, and three that are against it,” he said. He said the surface landowners were more likely to be pro oil and gas drilling and could create a biased commission.
Council members agreed at the study session that the makeup of the committee would need be redetermined at a future city council Planning and Economic Development committee meeting before being approved at a regular meeting.
A growing checkerboard of mineral rights and new oil and gas leases in urban, populated areas of Arapahoe County and Aurora has made Aurora a focal point for the state’s pro- and anti-fracking activists. Using data from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the environmental nonprofit Conservation Colorado found a total of 187,000 active leases near neighborhoods, parks and schools in Arapahoe County.
City planners as well as pro-oil advocates have countered that drilling has been suspended with no new applications in the works due to falling oil prices.
The committee’s mission statement, according to city documents, would be to provide an educational forum for residents and surface owners, and to report on a quarterly basis to city council. The committee would not be able to vote or change any applications or waivers that come to city planning, which Peterson said is disappointing.
Since 2012, the city’s Oil and Gas Committee has existed on an informal basis, and only this month started posting its agenda online and taking formal meeting minutes.
Right now, city council appoints three members to serve on the committee. The rest of the committee is informally composed of oil and gas industry representatives, homebuilders and city staff.
The three citizen appointees to the oil and gas committee are all PRO fracking.
Polly Page, who is a lobbyist for oil and gas, Marianne Farrell, a realtor who
adores fracking, and Jim Rogers, another pro fracking person. The entire
committee is now pro frackers. They’ve been on the committee for almost three
years. No term limits – they’ll probably be on the committee until they drop.
It’s nothing but a pro fracking get together each meeting, and I doubt if it will
ever change.
makes sense to have citizens that are affected by fracking in their communities
appointed to this committee. Don’t think any of the people appointed by the
Aurora City Council have first hand knowledge about effects of fracking in
their community. Thanks to Council member, Brad Pierce, for acknowledging
this committee needs more structure.
Parents bought farm in Ohio when I was in 5th grade, with coal breaking surface at two locations. Oil lease on farm paid $5. a year for 112 acres, and there was a producing well on adjoining farm. Pumped oil into storage tank, which truck would come and haul oil away occasionally. Gas line ran through our farm, and we had pipe sticking up in front yard, burning 24/7/365 days a year. Killed mosquitos, and other insect, and served as lighting at night. Just for info, I believe in fracking, especially now with horizontal drilling as well as vertical wells. Portions of Pa, NY, have banned fracking based on cherry picking of certain wells by anti-frocking folks there now. Also the producing wells in Ohio Belt (Cleveland to West Virginia area, have reduced production, and removed 3 of 5 drilling systems, due to reduction in price at the wells now. Other wells produce more, making up the amount of oil-gas needed, so that will also effect Colorado, Texas, and other states now, and into future. Only contamination found anywhere is surface where spills, broken equipment cause problem. Fracking is not a new procedure, and is only obvious when the main well has fracking equipment installed, and operates. Then moves on. Sand in fracking compound holds shale layers apart, and the soapy-chemicals only make the sand slippery to keep it moving until pressure is removed. Most kitchens have similar chemicals under the sink, in our households. Folks who do not own mineral rights will always complain, but wells do not have to be close to homes, buildings to extract oil-gas. Extraction companies do need all contiguous property owners under lease, or a majority in area they are working, though. Cousins in Ohio have multiple wells on their properties, and also get paid for pipelines through their property. We did not keep mineral rights when we sold parents farm after their death, so I have no connection to this now. But in fairness, all US citizens are involved in this process continuing to remove Middle East stranglehold on all the countries.
many thanks to our wonderful council member, Renie Peterson, for championing
those affected by fracking. We appreciate your efforts greatly.
The makeup of this committee is critical … will the city council members appoint their friends, or will the affected home owner associations have the upper hand. As an observer of city politics for five decades, I’d bet on the city council. HOAs can practice disgusting crony politics even more than the council.