Join Josh Fox for Gasland Part II in Boulder - RSVP LINK

Event Location:
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1669 Euclid Avenue Boulder, CO 80302

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EVENT LINK: http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6791/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=66864 ............................

Governor Hickenlooper’s COGCC Has Failed To Protect Boulder County From Drilling And Fracking

Boulder, CO – As Governor Hickenlooper prepares to take the stage at the Thursday evening, May 2nd fracking event at the University of Colorado, Boulder, citizens groups allege that the Governor’s Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has failed to protect Boulder County citizens from the past effects, and imminent future effects, of drilling and fracking.

“Boulder County has already been negatively impacted by drilling and fracking,” said Shane Davis of Fractivist.com.  “Spills, complaints, violations, leaking wells, and ‘unsatisfactory’ inspections have occurred in a large percent of current and past drilling, and the fracking boom hasn’t even started here yet.”

“The State, County, and cities need to better protect Boulder county’s citizens and environment,” said Gary Wockner of Clean Water Action which has thousands of members in Boulder county.  “Governor Hickenlooper’s COGCC rulemaking processes have failed to protect citizens, the State Legislature is only taking baby steps forward, and Boulder County is poised to be fracked.”

In addition to the data that is directly reported to the COGCC and available on its public website (summarized below), citizens groups believe that air quality, wildlife impacts, road impacts, noise and light impacts, and myriad health impacts also accompany fracking across the Front Range of Colorado.

An analysis of data from the COGCC’s own website for Boulder County reveals:

Spills and Releases

• 40 spills and releases of drilling and fracking liquids have occurred in Boulder County since 1993. Four of those spills occurred in 2012.
• 14 (35%) of spills and releases caused groundwater contamination.
• 7 of the spills and releases on COGCC’s website have never been updated to determine if they caused groundwater or surface water contamination.
•  53% of the spills involved a “berm failure” (the landscape around the well head was breached causing the spill to escape beyond the well head).

Complaints

• 17 public complaints are on record with the COGCC

Well Status

• 784 wells of all statuses ( as of 11/24/2012)
• 169 – (AL) abandoned
• 108 – (DA) dead and abandoned
• 14 – (DG) currently being drilled
• 141 – (PA) plugged and abandoned
• 306 – (PR) producing/active
• 2 - (SI) shut in
• 1 - (TA) temporarily abandoned
• 4 – (UN) unknown statues
• 38 – (XX) well location unknown  

Inspections in 2011 and 2012

• 159 Total inspections occurred in Boulder County in 2011 and 2012
• 8 reported “leaking wells”
• 106 inspections were “satisfactory”
•  51 inspections were “unsatisfactory”
• 2 inspections were “not reported”

Notice of Alleged Violations

• 17 Notices of alleged violations on record (NOAV)

Abandoned Waste Pits                 

• 99 historic toxic waste evaporation pits.  Some in residential areas.

Pending Permits

• 20 approved drilling applications are waiting for the Boulder County moratorium to lift

--end--

Published On: 

05/01/2013 - 13:25

Mora County, NM, Ordinance Includes Ban on Fracking

Mora County, NM, Ordinance Includes Ban on Fracking

 

Ordinance calls for a State Constitutional Amendment to

Elevate the Rights of Communities Above Corporate “Rights”

 

April 29, 2013

Media Release

 

Contact:

Thomas Linzey, Esq.

(978) 282-0110

tal@pa.net

 

Mora County, NM:  Earlier today, the County Commission of Mora County, located in Northeastern New Mexico, became the first county in the United States to pass an ordinance banning all oil and gas extraction.

 

Drafted with assistance from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), the Mora County Community Water Rights and Local Self-Government Ordinance establishes a local Bill of Rights – including a right to clean air and water, a right to a healthy environment, and the rights of nature – while prohibiting activities which would interfere with those rights, including oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” for shale gas.

 

Communities across the country are facing drilling and fracking.  Fracking brings significant environmental impacts including the production of millions of gallons of toxic wastewater, which can affect drinking water and waterways.  Studies have also found that fracking is a major global warming contributor, and have linked the underground disposal of frack wastewater to earthquakes.

 

CELDF Executive Director Thomas Linzey, Esq., explained, “Existing state and federal oil and gas laws force fracking and other extraction activities into communities, overriding concerns of residents.  Today’s vote in Mora County is a clear rejection of this structure of law which elevates corporate rights over community rights, which protects industry over people and the natural environment.”  

 

He stated further that, “This vote is a clear expression of the rights guaranteed in the New Mexico Constitution which declares that all governing authority is derived from the people.  With this vote, Mora is joining a growing people’s movement for community and nature’s rights.”  

 

CELDF Community Organizer and Mora County resident, Kathleen Dudley, added, “The vote of Mora Commission Chair John Olivas and Vice-Chair Alfonso Griego to ban drilling and fracking is not only commendable, it is a statement of leadership that sets the bar for communities across the State of New Mexico.”  She explained that the ordinance calls for an amendment to the New Mexico Constitution that “elevates community rights above corporate property rights.”

 

Mora County joins Las Vegas, NM, which in 2012 passed an ordinance, with assistance from CELDF, which prohibits fracking and establishes rights for the community and the natural environment.  CELDF assisted the City of Pittsburgh, PA, to draft the first local Bill of Rights which prohibits fracking in 2010.  Communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, New York, and New Mexico have enacted similar ordinances.

 

Mora County joins over 150 communities across the country which have asserted their right to local self-governance through the adoption of local laws that seek to control corporate activities within their municipality.

 

###

5,040 gallons liquid toxic industrial waste [produced water] discharged in livestock area - Yuma County Colorado

Click images and docx to enlarge

..............

Form 19/19A                                                                     Doc
Date Rec'd:	4/23/2013	Report taken by:	JOHN AXELSON
DocNum:	2232783	API number:	05-125 -09602	Facility ID:	280909

Operator Information

Operator:	PDC ENERGY INC	Oper. No.	69175
Address:	1775 SHERMAN STREET - STE 3000 ATTN: SCOTT REASON DENVER , CO 80203
Phone:	(303 )860-5800	Fax:	(303 )860-5838
Operator Contact:	BRANDON  BRUNS

Description of Spill:

Date of Incident:	4/10/2013
Type of Facility:	WELL
Well Name/No.	SMITH  32-25	Fac. Name/No.
County Name:	YUMA
qtrqtr: SWNE section: 25 township: 1N range: 45W meridian: 6

Volumes spilled and recovered (bbls)
Oil spilled:   0	Recvrd:  0
Water spilled:   120	Recvrd:  0
Other spilled:   0	Recved:  0
GW Impact? N Surface water impact? N Contained within berm? N
Area and vertical extent of spill:  300-SQ FT X  4 -FT
Current land use:  GAS PRODUCTION/LIVESTOCK
Weather conditions:  LOW 60S
Soil/Geology description  CANYON-ROCK OUTCROP COMPLEX, 9-25% SLOPES
Distance in feet to nearest surface water:  660
Depth to shallowest GW:
Wetlands:	Buildings:
Livestock:  20	Water Wells:  2500
Cause of spill:
EQUIPMENT FAILURE
Immediate Response:
SEE COMMENTS.
Emergency Pits:
NA
How extent determined:
SEE COMMENTS.
Further Remediation
PDC IS IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A REMEDIAL APPROACH BASED ON THE ELEVATED SAR CONCENTRATION IN SOIL SAMPLE SS4. THIS APPROACH WILL BE DETAILED IN A FORM 27 THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE COGCC.
Prevent Problem:
PDC INSTALLED ADDITIONAL FENCING AND SALT BLOCKS AND WILL CONTINUE MONITORING THE CONDITION OF THE WELLHEAD PIPING INSTRUMENTATION.
Detailed Description:
ON APRIL 10, 2013, A RELEASE OCCURRED AT THE SMITH 32-25 WELL HEAD (API #125-09602). DURING A ROUTINE DAILY VISIT TO THE WELLHEAD, A PUMPER DISCOVERED A RELEASE OF PRODUCED WATER FROM A PRODUCTION LINE ~70 FEET NORTH OF THE WELLHEAD. THE PUMPER DISCOVERED THE SPILL AS THE RELEASE SURFACED ALONG THE ALIGNMENT OF THE PRODUCTION LINE.. A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OF THE SITE LOCATION IS INCLUDED AS FIGURE 1.

Other Notifications
Date	Agency	Contact	Response
4/10/2013	COGCC	JOHN AXELSON	RESPONSE EMAIL FROM MR. AXELSON

Field Visit/Follow Up
Name	Phone	Date
No Field Visit data found.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Prospect Energy Releases 4,620 gallons of toxic waste from two spills - Fort Collins will face more contamination if ban does not stay in place

Source: COGCC

Click image/docx to enlarge

,,,

Date Rec'd:	3/11/2013	Report taken by:	BOB CHESSON
DocNum:	2232413	API number:	05-069 -06076	Facility ID:	216889

Operator Information

Operator:	PROSPECT ENERGY LLC	Oper. No.	10312
Address:	1600 STOUT ST STE 1710 ATTN: WARD GILTNER  DENVER , CO 80202
Phone:	(303 )973-3228	Fax:	(303 )346-4893
Operator Contact:	MARY  GRIGGS

Description of Spill:

Date of Incident:	3/1/2013
Type of Facility:	WELL
Well Name/No.	FT. COLLINS MUDDY UNIT  30-2	Fac. Name/No.
County Name:	LARIMER
qtrqtr: NWSW section: 30 township: 8N range: 68W meridian: 6

Volumes spilled and recovered (bbls)
Oil spilled:   1	Recvrd:  1
Water spilled:   19	Recvrd:  19
Other spilled:	Recved:
GW Impact? N Surface water impact? N Contained within berm? Y
Area and vertical extent of spill:  15-FT X  50 -FT
Current land use:  WELL PAD
Weather conditions:  CLOUDY, ABOUT 40 DEG F
Soil/Geology description  FORT COLLINS LOAM. SOIL UNIT 35 (SANDY LOAM).
Distance in feet to nearest surface water:  385
Depth to shallowest GW:  10
Wetlands:	Buildings:  160
Livestock:	Water Wells:  1500
Cause of spill:
EQUIPMENT FAILURE
Immediate Response:
SHUT CONNECTED WILL IN (MSSU 30-2), ISOLATED LINE, USED A VACUUM TRUCK TO RECOVER FLUIDS, THEN EXCAVATED IMPACTED SOIL, TO VISIBLY CLEAN SOIL BENEATH. SOIL WAS CONTAINED ON-SITE, AND WAS DISPOSED ON 3/7/13 AT WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC., IN AULT, CO.
Emergency Pits:
NONE.
How extent determined:
VISUAL.
Further Remediation
NONE NEEDED.
Prevent Problem:
WE ARE CURRENTLY INSTALLING HIGH/LOW PRESSURE SHUT-OFF SWITCHES (MURPHY SWITCHES) AT OUR PUMPING UNITS.
Detailed Description:
A TOTAL OF 20 BBLS OF FLUID WAS RELEASED, WHICH WAS COMPRISED OF 19 BBLS OF WATER AND 1 BBL OF OIL. A BREAK HAD OCCURRED IN THE FLOWLINE DUE TO A BLOCKAGE IN THE LINE. THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE CAUSED BY A HEAVY EMULSION FROM OUR WATER FLOOD TREATMENT CHEMICALS COMBINED WIHT ADDITIONAL WATER PUT ON-LINE FROM NEWLY CONVERTED INJECTION WELLS. FLUID WAS RECOVERED USING A VACUUM TRUCK. STAINED SOIL WAS REMOVED AND DISPOSED OF AT WASTE MANAGEMENT INC., IN AULT, CO. NO IMPACT TO GROUNDWATER.

Other Notifications
Date	Agency	Contact	Response
3/1/2013	COGCC	BOB CHESSON	ACKNOWLEDGED NOTIFICATION
3/1/2013	FORT COLLINS LGD	DAN WEINHEIMER	ACKNOWLEDGED NOTIFICATION

Field Visit/Follow Up
Name	Phone	Date
No Field Visit data found.

Fort Collins appears to have had a council member fooling the people on the local ban

I am speaking on behalf of fractivist.com an anti-fracking organization located, but not limited to Colorado.

We, the people of Fort Collins, are stunned by what appears to be, a visual case of 'behind closed doors agreements' with the oil and gas industry. If this is true, then it's a sad situation of an elected official being persuaded by industry wealth over the health and welfare of the citizens you are sworn to protect.

A ban is a ban. If you haven't the spine to represent the people and use their tax dollars to fight against the oppressive regulatory body ( Attorney General), from the real adverse impacts of the oil and gas industry, then you should step down immediately.

The health and welfare of the citizens of Fort Collins, Colorado should never take a back seat to any industry's wealth.

As it appears to the public, you may have  flip-flopped and are now working for the special interests of the oil & gas industry. Do you not find it in yourself to recognize good, peer reviewed science to arrive at objective findings that clearly show the toxicity this industry has on the environment and human health? Do you not recognize your decisions may have a direct role in the detrimental outcome of the environment and those inhabiting it?

Your stance has now gone global. Our distribution centers have launched an entire campaign that consist of millions of readers in all 50 states and in dozens of countries.  We want you to answer to the people as to why you choose to not stand for a ban. We want you to recognize you have politically and publicly marginalized yourself. We, the people, will not stop asking you good faith questions as to why you appear to have chosen special interest over the interests of the citizens of Fort Collins.

Our campaign began last night and it may very well  include an official recall of your elected capacity.

In good faith by, and for the people.

fractivist.com
..........................

VISIT other posts

Fort Collins council may punch hole in fracking ban

Will Fracking Ban in Fort Collins Continue?

Gerry 
gerryhorak@yahoo.com 
cityleaders@fcgov.com
970-217-2993

Parachute Creek Colorado Spill - Benzene Maps - Concentrations

Click images to enlarge

UPDATE: Parachute Colorado Toxic Liquid Spill - Data Links

Click on the links for corresponding data

Document Identifier	Class	Document Number	Document Name	Date	File Size (KB)
120109	Facilities	2232360	SUNDRY NOTICE	3-19-2013	603
120109	Facilities	2232359	SPILL/RELEASE REPORT	3-19-2013	419
120109	Facilities	200376867	NOTICE OF ALLEGED VIOLATION	3-20-2013
120109	Facilities	200376873	NOTICE OF ALLEGED VIOLATION	3-20-2013
120109	Facilities	2232395	SAMPLE LOCATION MAP	3-21-2013	515
120109	Facilities	2232394	NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER INCIDENT REPORT #1041190	3-21-2013	36
120109	Facilities	2232393	US EPA REGION VIII UNILATERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER	3-21-2013	123
120109	Facilities	2232396	PROJECT 2120 3-19-2013 PHOTOGRAPHY AND NOTES	3-19-2013	1473
120109	Facilities	2232397	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE FROM M. LEPORE TO COMMISSIONERS	3-19-2013	241
120109	Facilities	2232398	PARACHUTE CREEK SURVEY LOCATIONS	3-15-2013	613
120109	Facilities	2232399	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: 30 INCH PIPELINE EXCAVATION WORK PLAN	3-20-2013	63
120109	Facilities	2232395	RELEASE AREA SITE MAP	3-21-2013	2250
120109	Facilities	2232400	EMAIL RE: COGCC APPROVAL OF 30 INCH PIPELINE EXCAVATION WORK PLAN	3-20-2013	102
120109	Facilities	2232401	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: VALVE SET WORK PLAN	3-21-2013	70
120109	Facilities	2232402	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: APPROVAL OF VALVE SET WORK PLAN	3-21-2013	106
120109	Facilities	2232411	PROPOSED WELL LOCATIONS 3-23-13 REVISED	3-23-2013	557
120109	Facilities	2232410	PROPOSED WELL LOCATIONS 3-23-13	3-23-2013	268
120109	Facilities	2232409	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: COGCC APPROVAL OF INITIAL MW LOCATIONS	3-23-2013	58
120109	Facilities	2232408	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: APPROVAL REQUEST FOR MONITORING WELLS	3-23-2013	470
120109	Facilities	2232412	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: WPX BRADENHEAD MONITORING RESULTS	3-24-2013	2964
120109	Facilities	2232485	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: SAMPLING PLAN FOR VALVE SET BOX	3-26-2013	77
120109	Facilities	2232499	COGCC SURFACE WATER SAMPLE ANALYTICAL RESULTS	3-27-2013	813
120109	Facilities	2232538	POTENTIOMETRIC SURFACE MAP 3-27-2013	3-29-2013	1770
120109	Facilities	2232545	ALS ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL RESULTS THROUGH 3-29-2013	3-29-2013	3292
120109	Facilities	2232547	EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE RE: MONITORING WELL APPROVAL	3-28-2013	459

Residential development near historic oil and gas toxic waste pit. Hazmat response docx

CASE: Lafayette, CO historic toxic waste pit v. residential development.



 Click on documents to enlarge

Another letter from concerned citizen regarding the Parachute Gas Plant toxic waste spill

From: Matt Lepore - DNR <matt.lepore@state.co.us> 
Date: 
To: Jodee Brekke <Jodee.Brekke@cort.com> 
Subject: RE: Emailing: 536433_497576430298431_203489034_n.jpg 

Ms. Brekke:

No regulatory regime can prevent every spill; no regulatory agency can be on-site 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to monitor an operator’s every action.  It appears Williams reported the impacts to soil and, subsequently, groundwater, to COGCC as soon as they learned of those impacts.  The Spill Report attached to your email was submitted to COGCC by Williams as required by our Rules.  That is evidence of a regulatory system working.  COGCC staff, including our Environmental Manager, our Rifle Office Manager, and several Environmental Protection Specialists, have been on site nearly every working day since the groundwater impacts were reported to us.  The companies involved have been taking action to respond to the contamination since it was discovered.  We have issued a Cease and Desist Order and Notices of Alleged Violations to the Parties, and are actively monitoring and overseeing the on-going response actions.  The responsible party or parties will be obligated to remediate the environmental impacts.  Fines and other remedies will be considered by the Commission at the appropriate time, consistent with the Commission’s statutory authority and our Rules. 

Sincerely,

Matt

Matthew Lepore

Director

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

From: Jodee Brekke [mailto:Jodee.Brekke@cort.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 4:39 PM
To: Matt.Lepore@state.co.us
Subject: Emailing: 536433_497576430298431_203489034_n.jpg

Mr. Lepore,

In regard to the accident in Parachute CO (attached), the COGCC has once again failed to prevent adverse impacts and the industry operator should be held accountable for all reclamation costs, fines and punitive damages.

Jodee Brekke

Concerned citizen letter to COGCC Director and response regarding the recent Parachute gas plant spill

Mr. Lepore,

Once again COGCC has failed to protect the public.

It is disappointing that the filed spill documents are absent of water contamination results.

I assume they are in the process of being conducted?  COGCC documents appear

misleading because they indicate groundwater and surface water were 'not' contaminated.

It's highly likely that both ground and surface waters were contaminated due to the volume

and proximity of release!

We citizens hold you personally accountable to notify the public of the BTEX results.  In particular, 

all down stream recipients must be immediately notified.  Once again, COGCC has failed to prevent adverse

impacts and the industry operator should be held accountable for all reclamation costs, fines and punitive damages.

Sincerely,

NR

...............

COGCC Director, Matt Lepore's response

Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 7:51 PM

Subject: RE: Parachute Spill

Ms. Rosa:

The Form 19 is for the limited purpose or reporting the fact of a spill.  Subsequent to reporting the release, the operator responsible for the release of hydrocarbons will submit a Form 27, which describes the sampling and other work that will be done to characterize the extent and nature of adverse impacts to the environment and describe the remediation work that will be done to remediate environmental impacts.  All of those plans will be reviewed and approved by COGCC. 

The COGCC’s primary concern regarding protecting the public was and is to prevent contamination reaching Parachute Creek; to that end we issued a cease and desist order on Friday, March 15 directing the companies to take all appropriate measures to prevent the hydrocarbons from migrating to the Creek.  Those efforts appear to have been successful thus far. 

I am not sure what documents you interpret as saying groundwater has not been contaminated.  That is clearly not the case:  hydrocarbons have contaminated both soil and groundwater near the pipeline right of way associated with the gas processing plant operated by Williams.  The Form 19s clearly indicate those facts.  With respect to surface water (Parachute Creek), as noted, we have no data at this time indicating hydrocarbon impacts to the creek.  The companies involved, as well as COGCC, are collecting groundwater and soil samples which will be analyzed to determine the scope and nature of contamination. 

Finally, the COGCC has directed the companies involved to “Identify and evaluate all potential receptors of both surface water and ground water within a one-mile radius of the interceptor trenches” on the site.  Thus, any users of surface or ground water within one mile will be assured their water supplies have not been impacted by the incident in question.  Furthermore, in the event hydrocarbon impacts are detected in Parachute Creek, we will immediately notify the Town of Parachute, Garfield County officials, and the Parachute Municipal Water District. 

I and my colleagues at COGCC care deeply about Colorado’s environment.  Releases like this are not acceptable, and the responsible party or parties will be obligated to remediate the environmental impacts.  Fines and other remedies will be considered by the Commission at the appropriate time, consistent with the Commission’s statutory authority and our Rules.   

Thank you for sharing your concerns with me.

Sincerely,

Matthew Lepore

Director

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission