July 18, 2011 08:28 AM UTC

Fracking in Aurora

•  
• by: AndrewBateman

(Promoted to encourage candidates to post here themselves–Andrew, fair warning, there’ll be a whole open thread about your “post and dash” if you don’t answer any questions in the comments here 😉 – promoted by ProgressiveCowgirl)

Posted by Andrew Bateman, Candidate for the State House of Representatives, on behalf of some concerned residents of Aurora. www.BatemanForColorado.com

Since I announced my campaign for the State House in April, I have received numerous emails sharing concerns about a proposal to begin potentially harmful oil and gas drilling operations at the Lowry Bombing Range near my home in Aurora, Colorado. These operations would be conducted using a method known as Hydraulic Fracturing (or, Fracking). Specifically, the proposed wells would utilize horizontal fracturing, which poses a far greater risk to the the local area.

I believe that it is important for the concerns of local residents to be examined in detail before any decisions are made regarding the use of this land. Therefore, I am posting the information on this blog to raise awareness about the issue. The group’s website provides additional information.

Also, to help people understand the potential dangers of fracking, an in-depth interview was conducted with former Denver EPA Environmental Engineer Weston Wilson, who lays out the details and dangers of fracking in great detail. The video of the interview is available here.

Colorado’s State Land Board is now considering leasing 1600-2600 acres of land at the Lowry Bombing Range (in Aurora) for fracking, to extract oil from the Niobrara oil shale beds 4000 feet below the surface. It is considering allowing anywhere from 19 to 98 wells in this space.

More information and what you can do after the jump…

In 2007, after numerous meetings and forums with the public and government agencies, this land was designated as a “sustainable development model” with “resource sensitive growth” to protect surrounding land and water resources. This land sits above four aquifers and is near the Aurora Reservoir.

Just 20 wells would require 400,000 tanker truck trips, and 8 billion gallons of clean water that would be contaminated when injected into the ground with 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals. Just 20 wells would represent a large- scale industrial operation. Yet, as many as 98 wells are proposed.

Because of the significant risk for: air, noise, and light pollution, water and soil contamination, seismic activity, harm to public health and the natural environment, diminished quality of life, and adverse economic impacts (including diminished property values, as well as enormous amounts of clean water that would be used to extinction in the fracking process) fracking is not compatible with the determined purpose and terms of use for the land, as set by the State Land Board and its stakeholders in 2007.

The group is requesting that the State Land Board reject considerations for such operations until oil production from shale can be accomplished with technology and regulatory oversight that substantially decreases risks to public health and safety, and to our environment and water security.

To join this group in opposing the use of fracking in Aurora, sign the petition here:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com…

Portions of this post have been copied, in whole or in part, from the website linked to above. This language is used with permission from the authors in order to reflect their original intent.

Sources for the facts and figures cited can be found here