Colorado regulators approve unpopular, reckless Lowry Ranch oil and gas plan

Denver, CO — Today, the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) approved a Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) for an over 150 fracking well expansion at Lowry Ranch, handing a victory to the oil and gas industry despite years of pushback and advocacy from Aurora residents and environmental advocates. 

"The grassroots efforts in Aurora have been powerful, passionate and persistent," said Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "Sierra Club is extremely disappointed to see Colorado regulators side with a billion-dollar company, dismissing the residents who rely on a clean, protected Aurora Reservoir. Members of this community deserve access to healthy air and clean water, and shouldn’t have to live in fear of fracked gas operations beneath their homes and schools." 

 "We are devastated by the ECMC's decision to ignore state law and the will of the people," said Julie Huygen, Sierra Club member, local resident and retired Air Force Colonel. "Instead of doing the right thing, following the law, and protecting public health, safety, welfare, wildlife, and the environment, they have chosen to put billions of dollars in the pockets of oil and gas and take that money from Coloradoans who will be stuck paying the costs of fracking our homes and schools and for the pollution in the water we drink, and the air we breathe." 

Last week, 34 environmental organizations signed a letter to Gov. Jared Polis asking his administration to reject the CAP. A day later, the ECMC granted "Affected Person Status" to Save the Aurora Reservoir (STAR), a local advocacy group, allowing them more time to testify against the CAP. 

Civitas, a company infamous for environmental violations, now has an initial go-ahead to build fracking wells to drill under homes, schools, hiking trails, a source of clean drinking water and an EPA Superfund Site. The drilling plan now moves to Arapahoe County for final approval and  residents will continue to raise their voices and demand accountability. 

Residents raised concerns that the wells would worsen local air quality; threaten spills, fires, and explosions; potentially trigger seismic activity near the Superfund site, harm wildlife, and contaminate water sources.