Broomfield’s Question 301 will make oil and gas safer
We support the residents of Broomfield in their efforts to amend our Home Rule Charter through Ballot Question 301, and we urge a “yes” vote on this important question. The measure was initiated by a diverse group of Broomfielders from across the political spectrum who care deeply about the health and safety of their community.
First, some history: Broomfield and other communities in the Denver-Julesberg Basin and Greater Wattenberg Field have had oil and gas wells in rural areas for some time. Many of these wells and their associated equipment leak substances that pollute and may cause health problems. There are also dangers from well blow-outs, pipeline leaks, and tank explosions, all of which happened in nearby Weld County in 2017. After two men died in a family home explosion in Firestone, the governor ordered companies to inspect flow lines near buildings, and so far, 428 pipelines have failed. Unfortunately, the state struggles to keep up with inspections of this and other aspects of oil and gas production. Cities and counties are left to do what they can to protect the way of life we all cherish here along Colorado’s Front Range.
Communities have grown as the oil and gas industry advanced technologically. Horizontal drilling and fracking make possible industrial-sized operations near homes, schools and treasured open spaces. Extraction Oil and Gas sought to develop pads with up to 40 wells each close to Broomfield residences and existing and proposed water reservoirs. State law would allow these pads as close as 500 feet from homes. In response, Broomfield formed a task force to update its Comprehensive Plan regarding oil and gas development per a recommendation from the governor’s 2014 task force on the issue. Extraction attended and sometimes participated in Broomfield meetings as it also continued to negotiate with the city.
It is truly remarkable that Broomfield’s Task Force reached consensus among an extremely diverse group of residents ranging from sustainability advocates to those who have careers in oil and gas. Untold hours were spent developing our update and recommending reasonable changes to our regulations. It became clear that state law and practices needed updating to carry out its statutory mission of fostering the “responsible, balanced development… of oil and gas… in a manner consistent with protection of public health, safety, and welfare, including protection of the environment and wildlife resources.”
Task force meetings were regularly attended or followed online by the very citizens who crafted Question 301 in accord with Colorado’s Power of Initiative, a Constitutional right. They sought direct input from the mayor, city council, task force members, and attorneys and have been impressive in their dedication to becoming educated about best management practices and legal hurdles. Counter to anti-301 claims, they are not acting in a divisive manner. They definitely are not “extremists” or “outside agitators.”
Instead, they are supporting the Task Force’s vision: “Recognizing the many challenges facing our community as technological advances in oil and gas exploration and production evolve, Broomfield desires to focus on the health, safety, welfare and environment of our community as our top priority.”
Citizens favoring 301 want Broomfield to mirror state law and to uphold the Task Force recommendations in negotiating with companies as a way to go beyond state requirements that were designed for rural areas. The amendment is not a ban and does not create new regulations. It simply states a guiding principle, applies powers the city already has, and gives the city an extra tool to protect health, safety and welfare when it comes to oil and gas development.
Rather than derailing the task force, Question 301 allows the citizens of Broomfield to directly support its vision, overwhelmingly approved by City Council, to “focus on the health, safety, welfare and environment of our community as our top priority.”