GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- On March 20, 2015 President Obama announced plans proposed by the Bureau of Land Management that would require all hydraulic fracturing facilities to publicly disclose all chemicals used in production.
Colorado has implemented these rules for a few years, and supporters of drilling said they could be more strict, which will eventually impact local governments.
“Any kinds of rules and regulations that reduce oil and gas drilling in Western Colorado impact our school districts, our special school districts and important projects recently that have been funded,” said David Ludlam with Western Colorado’s Oil and Gas Task Force.
According to the Federal Mineral Lease District, when the regulations were put in to place in 2013, Mesa County received $2 million from royalties and this year was $1.2 million. Colorado Mesa University was a recipient of about $500,000 for expansion of technology in their library, while the town of Palisade was given $600,000 for construction of Main Street.
“We expect them to be lower significantly from 2014,” said Craig Springer with the Federal Mineral Lease district.
Although opponents aren’t happy with the new rules, conservationists said protection for our environment is crucial.
Jim Spehar, an energy issues consultant said, ” we could be impacted here in Mesa County by things that go on in Utah and Wyoming, New Mexico, or anywhere there is energy production.”
Citizens by Clean Air Reported the new guidelines would eliminate 90% of air pollution from oil and gas development which also cleanses water.
According to officials with Air Resource Specialists, Garfield County currently has lower propane and ethane rates since the guidelines were implemented, and officials believe the regulations were a big contribution.
Colorado joined the lawsuit against the federal government at the end of April claiming the BLM had no control over how they tested chemicals.
All drilling facilities are required to expose their chemicals to fracfocus.org 90 days after the announcement.
Colorado has implemented these rules for a few years, and supporters of drilling said they could be more strict, which will eventually impact local governments.
“Any kinds of rules and regulations that reduce oil and gas drilling in Western Colorado impact our school districts, our special school districts and important projects recently that have been funded,” said David Ludlam with Western Colorado’s Oil and Gas Task Force.
According to the Federal Mineral Lease District, when the regulations were put in to place in 2013, Mesa County received $2 million from royalties and this year was $1.2 million. Colorado Mesa University was a recipient of about $500,000 for expansion of technology in their library, while the town of Palisade was given $600,000 for construction of Main Street.
“We expect them to be lower significantly from 2014,” said Craig Springer with the Federal Mineral Lease district.
Although opponents aren’t happy with the new rules, conservationists said protection for our environment is crucial.
Jim Spehar, an energy issues consultant said, ” we could be impacted here in Mesa County by things that go on in Utah and Wyoming, New Mexico, or anywhere there is energy production.”
Citizens by Clean Air Reported the new guidelines would eliminate 90% of air pollution from oil and gas development which also cleanses water.
According to officials with Air Resource Specialists, Garfield County currently has lower propane and ethane rates since the guidelines were implemented, and officials believe the regulations were a big contribution.
Colorado joined the lawsuit against the federal government at the end of April claiming the BLM had no control over how they tested chemicals.
All drilling facilities are required to expose their chemicals to fracfocus.org 90 days after the announcement.
