LOGIC letter March 5, 2020

March 5, 2020

Larimer County Commissioners

200 W. Oak Street

Ft. Collins, CO 80521

CC: Matt Lafferty, Lesli Ellis, Tom Gonzales

RE: Larimer County Draft Oil and Gas Regulations

Dear Commissioners Johnson, Donnelly and Kefalas, and Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Gonzales, and Ms. Ellis:

The League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans (LOGIC) appreciates the opportunity to submit comments to the Larimer County Commissioners regarding the County’s draft oil and gas regulations prior to the County Commissioners’ hearing on March 23rd.

LOGIC and the Larimer Alliance for Health, Safety, and the Environment (Larimer Alliance) have participated extensively in the drafting process for these regulations. We have submitted extensive written comments on both the first and second drafts of the regulations, as well as letters on the extent of local authority to regulate to protect public health, safety, and welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources under SB19-181 as they relate to takings claims. We also attended the Planning Commission hearing on February 19th, where LOGIC’s deputy director and numerous members of the Larimer Alliance made public comments.

At every opportunity, we have provided detailed and extensive recommendations to County planning staff and supported them with scientific evidence and examples from other jurisdictions. Throughout this process, our goal has been to inform the County and to provide support for regulations that would effectively protect the health, safety, and welfare of Larimer County residents, the environment, and wildlife resources.

Unfortunately, we have watched as the draft regulations have gotten weaker, not stronger. Despite extensive evidence to the contrary, our common sense suggestions have been largely dismissed as arbitrary, unnecessary, or simply disliked by planning staff, and were not adopted by a majority of the Planning Commission. We submit this letter to you, the County Commissioners, to reiterate our concerns with the draft regulations, and to encourage you to look through the record provided by your residents and adopt meaningful regulations that are actually protective.

Sincerely,

Andrew Forkes-Gudmundson

Deputy Director

League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans