At a special public hearing today, the Adams County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution placing a temporary moratorium on new oil and gas facilities in unincorporated Adams County. The moratorium is effective immediately and will remain in place for six months or until further action by the Board.
The Board imposed the temporary moratorium due to Senate Bill 19-181 pending consideration in the Colorado General Assembly. The legislation changes the authority of local governments to regulate oil and gas development within their jurisdictions.
“Until we have more clarity on whether this current bill will pass and what impact it could have locally, the Board decided to enact a temporary moratorium so we can evaluate any new tools available to address the health and safety of our residents,” said Board Chair Steve O’Dorisio.
The proposed moratorium applies to new oil and gas facilities as defined by the county’s regulations:
- The site and associated equipment used for the production, treatment, and/or storage of oil and gas and waste products; or
- An individual well pad built with one or more wells and operated to produce liquid petroleum and/or natural gas, including associated equipment required for such production; or
- Temporary storage and construction staging of oil and gas; or
- Any other oil and gas operation which may cause significant degradation.
In the resolution, the Board estimated it would take approximately six months for county staff to evaluate the impact of Senate Bill 19-181 and develop local oil and gas standards that would ensure fair and reasonable regulation consistent with the potential new state law while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of county residents.
The moratorium does not affect pipelines, active wells, or any applications previously submitted to Adams County.
