Oil and Gas – Garfield County, Colorado

DOE seeking nuclear lifecycle campus locations

Nuclear power plant cooling towers, big chimneys beside Wheat field with partly cloudy sky.

Garfield County is supporting a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) process looking into the potential of nuclear energy generation in the region. The DOE has issued a request for information (RFI) to help identify potential locations to construct a nuclear lifecycle campus. The DOE is in the process of determining areas throughout the United States that are capable of supporting such a campus, which could include reactor development, manufacturing, workforce training, energy grid integration, and more. Matt Solomon, project manager for the Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative, told the Board of County Commissioners that all branches of the DOE are under

Garfield County has requested that the “methane capture” rule be reinstated into the proposed Thompson Divide Withdrawal Project, which would remove 224,713 acres of federal land from “all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal” under public land, mining, and mineral and geothermal leasing laws. The county submitted a comment letter to the United States Forest Service (USFS) on its draft environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) on the Thompson Divide withdrawal, following the Biden Administration’s additional restrictions on the area that removed methane capture. “The county is disappointed, despite acknowledgement that recent ozone monitoring data in

A closeup of hill construction sign and pump jack drilling for oil isolated against sky in Rangely.

Garfield County has approved a permit for as many as 32 directional natural gas wells on a 5.45-acre property roughly 12 miles south of Rifle off U.S. Forest Service Road 824. CPX Piceance Holdings, LLC’s Tepee Park Ranch (TPR) well pad 36A is located on a private parcel of land with an existing oil and gas infrastructure. The existing well pad was constructed in 2008, and a limited impact review of the proposal noted that CPX conducted an alternative location analysis of four other sites for the project and determined that developing 36A would pose the least detrimental impacts to

Oil rig near pristine pastures in western Garfield County, Colorado

The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board meeting takes place Thursday, Dec. 1, from 6 – 7:20 p.m. The agenda for the meeting is now available. The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) invites you to join us Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Garfield County Rifle Administration Building, 195 W. 14th Street, 2nd floor in Rifle. Dinner and social time for all attendees at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting begins at 6 p.m. We hope you can join us and consider telling your friends, colleagues, and interested parties about EAB. Please see the attached meeting agenda. We have a good bit

Garfield County has provided comments to a rulemaking petition filed by several environmental groups seeking to “adopt rules to evaluate and address cumulative air impacts” and address environmental justice concerns. In a letter to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), the county recommended rejection of the petition and associated rulemaking, noting that the proposed rules would greatly impact oil and gas development throughout much of the state. The petition, which was filed by WildEarth Guardians, 350 Colorado, Womxn from the Mountain, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Larimer Alliance, and Sierra Club, asks the COGCC to create new rules

A pumpjack silhouette with dramatic sunset.

A new natural gas well pad limited impact review has been approved by Garfield County, the first such approval by the county since new regulations on the industry went into effect in Colorado. The 6.4-acre pad, which includes as many as 21 directional wells to extract natural gas, is an expansion of an existing oil and gas pad and includes just 1.13 acres of new ground disturbance, according to a proposal from operator TEP Rocky Mountain, LLC. “After the wells are drilled, completed, and placed into production, the pad will be interim reclaimed down to 1.74 acres of disturbance,” the

The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board meeting takes place Thursday, May 5, from 6 – 7:20 p.m. The agenda for the meeting is now available. The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) is hosting an educational presentation on the Local economic impacts of state oil and gas rulemakings on Thursday, May 5, at the Garfield County Rifle Administration Building, 195 W. 14th Street, 2nd floor in Rifle. EAB meeting

Garfield County joins PILT lawsuit

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has joined a class-action lawsuit that seeks to reimburse counties that were underpaid payment in-lieu of taxes (PILT) funds from 2015 through 2017. If successful, Garfield County stands to receive an estimated $121,931 reimbursement through the legal action. The federal government pays PILT to local governments for federal lands within their boundaries that aren’t subjected to property taxes. The amount due is determined by a statutorily defined formula. In 2008, Congress made full funding of PILT mandatory through 2014. The 2015 legislation requiring PILT payments was less direct, and the government took the position

Garfield County supports rural natural gas initiative

GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. – Garfield County has urged the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to support the use of natural gas to generate electricity in northwest Colorado, thereby strengthening the regional economy. The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners is backing the Western States Rural Gas Initiative, which aims to facilitate the delivery of natural gas to new markets. As part of the initiative, Xcel Energy has proposed the creation of an electricity generation facility that operates on natural gas on the Western Slope. If approved, the facility would generate 700 megawatts of electricity. In a letter to Jeffery Ackerman,

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted to unanimously approve three Special Use Permit applications for two natural gas well pads and co-located pipelines in Battlement Mesa with multiple conditions of approval added. After taking testimony over a three-day period, including hours of resident and community presentations and comments, the Board of County Commissioners reviewed each condition of approval with the Battlement Mesa Concerned Citizens committee and with applicants Ursa Operating Company and Battlement Mesa Partners representatives. These conditions of approval centered on air quality, traffic, noise, dust, odors, inspection notice, drainage, home values, emergency plans, and reporting to the

Energy Advisory Board considers gas production and consumption

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – An educational program named America’s Rapidly Evolving Natural Gas Production and Consumption and Implications for Colorado’s Western Slope will be presented October 2 in Rifle. Huge new supplies of North American natural gas have turned both the gas production and consumption markets upside down. Chris Wright, technology and energy entrepreneur, and CEO of Liberty Resources and Liberty Oilfield Services will speak to the Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) in a community presentation. Liberty Resources is a Denver – based Company recognized as global experts in hydraulic fracturing and related technologies. This talk will provide an

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Rebecca Watson, J.D., of the law firm Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley, P.C., and a former Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, will speak in Rifle August 7 to the Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) in a community presentation. She will present an educational program related to oil and gas law, named Fracking, Federalism and Federal Environmental Regulation: Is the Oil & Gas Industry Exempt from Major Laws? Industry critics frequently claim that the oil and gas industry appears to be exempt from environmental regulation. The argument is made

CSU air emissions study presentation at Energy Advisory Board

Dr. Jeffrey Collett, PhD., Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU), will present an overview of an ongoing CSU study of air emissions from gas wells in Garfield County Thursday to the Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) and the community. The presentation, “Characterizing air emissions from new gas well development in Garfield County,” will provide an overview of CSU’s study of emissions of air toxins, ozone precursors, and methane during development of new gas wells in Garfield County. The EAB meeting is March 6, from 5:30 to 8 pm at the Parachute Library, 244

Air quality rulemaking

PARACHUTE, CO – Garfield County Commissioners and Mesa County Commissioners voted Thursday to submit a statement to a 2013-14 Oil and Gas Rulemaking Effort proposed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The two counties are part of the Energy Producing Attainment Counties (EPAC) coalition, consisting of Garfield, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma and Rio Blanco counties, which supports the statement filed January 30. The response requests that the Air Quality Control Commission communicate an effective enforcement and evaluation strategy before approving new regulations. A premise of the coalition statement is that administration of air regulations statewide should be

Residents are invited to Northwest Colorado Oil and Gas Forum

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County invites citizens to attend and participate in the quarterly Northwest Colorado Oil and Gas Forum (Forum), which provides an opportunity to learn about oil and gas activities in northwest Colorado from local, state and federal government officials, oil and gas industry representatives, and concerned citizens. The Forum is December 12, from 10 am to noon at the Colorado Mountain College Rifle Campus, 3695 Airport Road. Matt Lepore, director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, will present on the rulemaking process to rewrite oil and gas spill reporting requirements. Updates on oil and

Garfield County Energy Advisory Board considers Mamm Creek study

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) will host an educational program December 5, featuring information on the recently completed Phase III Hydrogeologic Study of the Mamm Creek Area. The program will include a presentation by David Bohmann, operations manager with Tetra Tech, the consulting firm that conducted the Phase III Mamm Creek study. The objective of the Phase III study was to gather additional data to clarify the nature of the hydrologic flow system and water quality in the study area, including evaluating the possible effects, if any, of oil and gas development on the

Energy Advisory Board appoints four new members

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Garfield County Energy Advisory Board (EAB) announces the appointment of four new board members. The new citizen representative for the Rulison/Holmes Mesa/Morrisania Mesa areas is Jack Castle of Parachute. Tom Vondette, Rifle, is the citizen representative for the Taughenbaugh Mesa area. Kimberly Bullen of Rifle will participate on the board for the City of Rifle, and AJ Hobbs of Carbondale will serve on the EAB for the Town of Carbondale. The Board of County Commissioners approved the new members August 19. The Energy Advisory Board reports to the Garfield County Commissioners, and was created to

Oil & Gas

Garfield County staff is receiving information on the discovery of subsurface hydrocarbons in groundwater near a gas plant just north of Parachute, Colorado. The plant is operated by Williams on private land in Garfield County. Garfield County Oil and Gas Liaison, Kirby Wynn, was alerted to the situation via standard regulatory reporting protocols on the morning of March 14. Wynn has subsequently participated in an onsite briefing at the location where the hydrocarbons were initially discovered. An investigation is underway, administered by federal and state agencies – the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation

Garfield County Board of County Commissioners work session

SG Interests has oil and gas leases in the Thompson Divide area of the White River National Forest. SG Interests has recently submitted drilling permit applications through the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), the U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau and Land Management (BLM) for sites in Garfield County and Pitkin County. The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners will host a Work Session at 9 am, February 5, 2013, to review and discuss SG Interests proposed oil and gas development plans, and to begin identifying and addressing concerns and issues related to proposed municipal and county road access

Garfield County has a new oil and gas liaison, and he comes with a listening ear. In fact, listening and learning is what Kirby Wynn has at the top of his agenda as he works his way around the county for introductory meetings with the community, local agencies, and energy operators in the coming weeks. Wynn started working for the county September 26. Wynn serves as the liaison among Garfield County, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, state and federal agencies, Garfield County citizens and energy operators. Wynn brings liaison experience to the position, including 15 years working with

Work session on energy tax refunds June 14

In Noble Energy v. Colorado Department of Revenue, 232 P. 3d 293 (Colo. App., 2010), the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Noble Energy for a refund of sales taxes that was incorrectly charged to oil and gas companies by fracturing companies during the taxable period of April 2002 through July 2005. The Colorado Department of Revenue is currently in the process of auditing the claims for refund made by Noble Energy and other energy companies. Upon completion of each audit, the state will refund sales tax due the companies, and then will withhold that amount from future

Garfield County Board of Commissioners will use the second draft of the Health Impact Assessment for decisions on natural gas development in Battlement Mesa The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted unanimously May 2 not to extend a contract with the University of Colorado School of Public Health to produce a final report for the Battlement Mesa Health Impact Assessment (HIA). After evaluating information and comments gathered in the first and second draft stages, the commissioners concluded that the second draft has produced the information they need to make decisions regarding the potential health impacts of Antero Resource

Battlement Mesa Health Impact Assessment

Update – March 21, 2011: The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to extend the public comment period on the 2nd draft Battlement Mesa Health Impact Assessment for 30 days. The new cutoff for public comments is 5 p.m., April 27, 2011. March 1, 2011 Revised Battlement Mesa Health Impact Assessment Report Released for Public Comment GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO (March 1, 2011) – Garfield County Public Health seeks public comments on a report summarizing the potential health impacts of natural gas development and production in the Battlement Mesa Planned Unit Development. Public review and comment is invited for

Public hearing for Battlement Mesa well pads if permits issued

The Battlement Concerned Citizens (BCC) group appeared on December 6 to request that the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) request a hearing on three well pad site locations Antero Resources has applied for. Antero’s proposed site locations would be well pads that would host multiple oil and gas wells if the permit applications were granted by Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), which currently has them on hold. Antero spokesman David Strickland said that each of the proposed pads (known as Speakman A, Speakman B and Monument Ridge) is outside the Battlement Mesa Planned Unit Development (PUD),

BOCC files intervention on proposed well pad spacing

Local residents filled the Colorado Mountain College auditorium in Rifle for a November 9 special meeting before the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). The BOCC voted 2-1 to direct Garfield County Oil and Gas staff to file an intervention with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to oppose Antero’s application to increase well spacing to one well per 10 acres. The county is submitting the intervention November 10 in an attempt to appear at the COGCC’s hearing on November 29.

Oil and gas production revenues for Garfield County, Colorado have dropped 56 percent in the past year, resulting in shattering reductions in upcoming property tax payouts to local taxing districts in 2011. When oil and gas total production valuation in Garfield County reached its peak last year of $3.06 billion, it provided nearly 75% of the assessed valuation, bringing in added tax revenue for fire departments and other tax-supported entities serving citizens. Then, a severe drop in the price of natural gas resulted in an across the board curtailment of drilling activity, which, along with low prices for gas being

Garfield County and the Colorado School of Public Health release Battlement Mesa Health Impact Assessment for public comment

Garfield County Public Health seeks public comments on a report regarding the potential health impact of natural gas development and production in the Battlement Mesa Planned Unit Development. Public review and comment is invited for one month, through Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 5 pm MDT. The report, released today, is a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), and was commissioned by the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners. It systematically examined currently available information regarding the environmental, social and health status of Battlement Mesa, and applied it to a review of known health impacts of natural gas drilling. The assessment was

DOE seeking nuclear lifecycle campus locations

County requests methane capture rule return in proposed Thompson Divide withdrawal

CPX well pad application approved

Energy Advisory Board meeting Dec. 1 in Rifle

County comments on oil and gas rulemaking request

County approves new gas pad application near Rifle

Energy Advisory Board meeting May 5