DENVER—A new report from the Center for Western Priorities finds that people living in close proximity to industrial drilling and fracking operations are experiencing health problems that range from asthma to cancer. The report, “Close to Home: Communities & Families Cope with Fracking and Drilling” comes on the heels of a Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing that investigated impacts of these extraction methods on Colorado’s communities and looked into establishing safety perimeters around municipal areas.
“In Colorado and other Western States, drilling and fracking operations are moving closer to communities, homes, schools, water supplies, and farms,” said Greg Zimmerman, author of the report and policy director at the Center for Western Priorities. “Our findings underscore the necessity for land use and best practice regulations to be implemented.”
According to the report, states can protect their residents from drilling and fracking through establishing setback standards that govern the minimum distance between fracking operations and homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings. Currently, the minimum distance in urban areas between an oil or gas well and a private structure is 350 feet—approximately one football field—and only 150 feet in rural areas.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC)—the state agency charged with regulating the oil and gas industry—is proposing a 350-foot minimum setback in all areas. It is also considering specific rules for wells drilled within 1,000 feet of a building, including an obligation for the driller to consult with the landowner, along with certain mitigation requirements.
However, a review of public records and media reports by the Center for Western Priorities’ review reveals numerous instances, in Colorado and nearby states, of communities and families coping with problems within, and even beyond, proposed setback perimeters. A small sampling of those stories are included in the report.
“We must put a face on the hazards of oil and gas drilling, and to reinforce the need for decision makers to think hard about just how much they’re willing to sacrifice in the name of cheap gas,” said Greg Zimmerman. He went on to say, “There is a way that the west can benefit from the potential of fossil fuels reserves and preserve the open spaces that we all hold so dear but that will require courage from our leaders and a vocal public.”
