FILE--In this Friday, May 27, 2016, photograph, a pump jack works off state highway 119 near Firestone, Colo. On Thursday, March 23, 2017, Colorado's second-highest court says state regulators can put more weight on protecting public health and the environment when they draw up rules for oil and gas drilling. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

LONGMONT |  Longmont officials say the proposed agreement with two oil and gas companies to end surface drilling within city limits would not prohibit horizontal drilling.

The Daily Times-Call reports city officials answered questions about the proposed agreement with TOP Operating Co. and Cub Creek Energy LLC during a public forum Tuesday.

Officials say the agreement bans surface disruption but horizontal drilling could still be used to access underground deposits from outside city limits. Drilling would also still be allowed on land the city owns outside its borders.

Under the agreement, the companies would agree to plug and abandon wells and relinquish drilling rights within the city.

The city council gave preliminary approval for the agreement last week. The council will consider final approval next week.

___

Information from: Daily Times-Call, https://timescall.com/

The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative of 1,300 newspapers, including The Sentinel, headquartered in New York City. News teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s...