Letter to Gov Polis: Sign SB181 into Law

Dear Governor Polis,

We appreciate your support for the protection of public health, safety, and welfare, and the environment. Through your statements and actions, we know that you understand the concerns of your constituents that are impacted by large-scale residential fracking.

Over the past few years, as concerned residents and impacted community organizations, we have tried unsuccessfully to bring meaningful change to protect the health and safety of our communities through legislation. However, with the passage of SB19-181 in the House and Senate, it has become clear to the impacted residents that this is the year that the Colorado legislature can, and will, pass much needed reform.

We now have hope that our state and local governments will be enabled to adequately address the struggles our communities face as industrial-sized oil and gas operations move into our neighborhoods, create nuisances, contribute to poor air quality, and threaten our livelihood with potentially life-threatening events. The compounded risk of the various adverse impacts of these intense industrial developments can be too great a burden for residential neighborhoods to endure. Public health and safety can soon be prioritized as our state begins to take into account the existing, overwhelming data and scientific evidence demonstrating the adverse impacts of residential fracking on health and safety.

We look forward to the upcoming changes at the COGCC as they begin to regulate the oil and gas industry. With renewed hope, we also look forward to new conversations with our Local Governments as they can begin to address the very real public health and safety concerns, as well as financial costs to local communities, now that their hands are no longer tied. They can finally fulfill their oath of office and represent their constituents’ wishes when it comes to oil and gas development.

We also look forward to continued discussions to address the 6,000+ permits currently pending before the COGCC – especially those proposed near our residential communities , schools, water resources, and certain vulnerable areas.

We support SB19-181 and encourage you to sign this legislation into law without delay.

Sincerely,