Tell the COGCC to protect Colorado families from future tragedies like Firestone!

In the wake of the tragedy at the Martinez home in Firestone that killed two men and seriously injured a woman and child, and with more and more Colorado communities being subjected to drilling hazards—including spills, fires, explosions, air toxins, ozone pollution, water contamination, heavy truck traffic, and unhealthy noise levels—it’s long past time for the COGCC to fulfill its obligation under Colorado law to prioritize protection of health, safety, and the environment over its mission to foster oil and gas production.

Tell Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) director Matt Lepore and the rest of the Commission not to use taxpayer money to appeal the Martinez ruling and to comply with the agency’s legal mandate to protect the health and safety of Coloradans, first and foremost. The COGCC must suspend oil and gas activity until an independent investigator verifies the public is safe from hazards like the fatal Firestone home explosion.

Please personalize and send this letter calling on the COGCC to take the following actions immediately to restore the public trust:

1) Do NOT appeal the Martinez v. COGCC ruling that the COGCC must prioritize public health, safety, welfare and environment over oil and gas production and assure that the COGCC fully complies with this legal mandate.

2) Order operators to shut down all existing wells until an independent investigator verifies that every well is in full compliance with the recent order to assure the integrity of flowlines from active wells near occupied structures and to cut off flowlines from inactive wells statewide.

3) Suspend new COGCC permitting and drilling on existing permits until an independent review of state rules is conducted to assure they are sufficient to protect public health, safety, welfare and the environment.

Want to do more? Check out the great suggestions and more info below provided by our friend Lauren Swain.

Thank you for helping to keep our communities safe from the hazards of fracking!

Micah Parkin, 350CO Executive Director

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Dear Friend,

Only with our immediate and persistent collective action can we protect ourselves from the unacceptable hazards posed by hundreds of new oil and gas wells being forced into neighborhoods. Sadly, as you have probably heard, a recent fatal home explosionn in Firestone, caused by ignition of methane (natural gas) leaking into the home from flowlines from a nearby well, has intensified safety concerns for communities impacted by existing and proposed drilling projects. Please use and share this alert to take action by speaking out, engaging others, and urging your location officials to advocate today.

Unfortunately, Governor Hickenlooper and his state agency, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) have failed to respond appropriately to this tragedy, as evidenced by their recent actions:

1) On May 1, the COGCC voted to appeal the recent Martinez v. COGCC court ruling clarifying that Colorado law requires the COGCC to prioritize public health, safety, and the environment over its mission to foster production. Instead of complying with its mandate to protect Coloradans first and foremost, the agency wants to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars attempting to shirk its responsibilities under the ruling.

2) Gov. Hickenlooper has asked Coloradans to trust the industry. Operators are allowed to keep existing wells active while new orders require them to locate and insure the integrity of active flowlines near occupied structures by May 30, and to cut off inactive flowlines statewide by June 30.

3) The COGCC has approved hundreds of new drilling permits since the Firestone tragedy occurred on April 17.

It’s time we change all that. And you hold three keys to the success of this effort.
1) Raise your voice
2) Engage and empower others
3) Urge local officials to advocate for you and your community

RAISE YOUR VOICE
Call and write Gov. Hickenlooper, (303) 866-2885, email, and the COGCC, (303) 894-2100, matt.lepore@state.co.us and tell them to

1) Do NOT appeal the Martinez v. COGCC ruling and comply with their mandate to prioritize public health and safety over fostering production.

2) Order operators to shut down all existing wells until an independent investigator verifies operators have fully complied with the recent order to assure the safety of flowlines from active wells near occupied structures and cut off flowlines from inactive wells statewide.

3) Suspend new COGCC permitting, and drilling on existing permits, until an independent review of state rules is conducted to assure they are sufficient to protect public health, safety, and the environment.

ENGAGE AND EMPOWER OTHERS
For every action your take, please share your personal message with friends and on social media so they will be empowered to take action as well. Share this link to encourage others to take action

URGE LOCAL OFFICIALS TO ADVOCATE

Call, write, and attend meetings with your city council members, county commissioners, and Congressional representatives and tell them that you want them to:

1) Announce that they will file an amicus brief supporting the Martinez ruling as soon as the COGCC files its appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court.

2) Publicly call on Gov. Hickenlooper and the COGCC to a) withdraw the appeal of the Martinez ruling, b) shut down existing wells until flowlines near homes are identified and proven safe by an independent investigator, and c) suspend new permitting and drilling pending an independent review of the adequacy of state regulations.

3) Enact local restrictions and take legal action to keep fracking operations away from homes, schools and drinking water sources. (Inform your elected officials that the Martinezruling applies pending the appeal unless the CO Supreme Court issues a stay, and that local governments have jurisdiction at least over oil and gas gathering lines, and that they have a financial obligation to protect local open space from industrial activities—and that means they have many options for legal action and defense of local control.)

4) State publicly that fracking near neighborhoods and drinking water sources imposes unacceptable health and safety hazards on residents and should not be condoned orpromoted by the state of Colorado.

Local Officials: Contact Info and Upcoming Events

Broomfield City Council
council@broomfieldcitycouncil.org
303-469-3301
Next Meeting May 9, 6-10pm
One DesCombes Drive
Broomfield, CO 80020

Broomfield Oil and Gas Planning Committee
Next mtgs. May 11, 18, and 25, 6 to 8 p.m.
Bal Swan Conference Room
One DesCombes Drive
Broomfield, CO 80020

Adams County Commissioners
Townhall May 10 6:30-8:30
Malley Drive Elementary, 1300 Malley Drive, Northglenn

North Metro State Legislators
Town Hall with Rep. Winter, Sen. Martinez-Humenick, and Sen. Moreno
Saturday May 6th 10 am – 11 am.
9650 Sheridan Blvd.
Westminster, CO 80031

North Metro state Legislator contacts:
Representative Faith Winter: 303-866-2843, faith.winter.house@state.co.us,
Senator Beth Martinez-Humenik: Capitol: 303-866-4863, Cell: 303-907-6995
beth.martinezhumenik.senate@state.co.us
Senator Dominick Moreno, 303-866-4857, dominick.moreno.senate@state.co.us
Representative Joseph Salazar: 303-886-2918, joseph.salazar.house@state.co.us
Rep. Matt Gray: 303-866-4667, matt@matthewgray.us
Sen. Vicki Marble: 866-4876, vicki.marble.senate@state.co.us

Congressman Jared Polis
(303) 484-9596, email
Town Hall with Congressman Jared Polis
Friday, May 12
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. MT
Evergreen High School
29300 Buffalo Park Rd.
Evergreen, CO 80439
RSVP

Congressman Ed Perlmutter
(303) 274-7944, email

Congressman Mike Coffman
720.748.7514, email