On October 25, 2011, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) held an open meeting to decide if public hearings should be held about fracking rules. The result of the meeting was to instruct staff to “initiate a rule making for purposes of adopting rules governing the public disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemicals, including notification of hydraulic fracturing operations.”
The proposed rules were made public on November 10. Commissioner W. Perry Peace was designated as the hearing officer, and interested parties were given until 5:00 p.m. on November 17 to file for “party status.” The status request required any interested parties to provide contact information and “a brief summary of any policy, factual, or legal issues the applicant has with the proposed regulations.”
Any member of the community can participate in this public hearing process. There are two ways to do so: by submitting comments in writing prior to the public hearing, or by speaking during the public comment period during the hearing –which will be limited by the Commission. Groups are asked to appoint one spokesperson.
If an organization has “party status” they are required to submit their comments, limited to 15 pages, prior to the hearing date. An alternate proposal may be submitted by any organization with “party status.” An alternate proposal must contain text of a proposed rule and a proposed statement of basis and purpose.
There will be a prehearing conference on November 29, in Denver. Anybody with “party status” who fails to appear at this conference will lose their status. At this prehearing conference the mechanics of the hearing will be decided: allocation of hearing time, identification of contested matters, identification of witnesses and exhibits.
The actual hearing will be held on December 5. If an organization has “party status” their comments and exhibits will be subject to cross examination. Any cross examination time will reduce the time allotted to the organization to make their presentation.
The COGCC has posted a list of groups with “party status” at their website. They are primarily members of the oil and gas industry: Anadarko Petroleum, Nobel Energy, Inc., Bill Barrett Corporation, Petroleum Development Corporation, Exxon Mobile XTO Energy, Black Hills Exploration, Williams Production RMT Company, Colorado Oil and Gas Association, Colorado Petroleum Association. There are also environmental groups and local governments that have been granted “party status”, including Western Colorado Congress. Notably absent is Mesa County, although Weld County and Gunnison County applied for status.
I’m planning to be in Denver on November 29 and December 5.
Homework
An Inside Look at Fracking a Well
Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
The proposed rules were made public on November 10. Commissioner W. Perry Peace was designated as the hearing officer, and interested parties were given until 5:00 p.m. on November 17 to file for “party status.” The status request required any interested parties to provide contact information and “a brief summary of any policy, factual, or legal issues the applicant has with the proposed regulations.”
Any member of the community can participate in this public hearing process. There are two ways to do so: by submitting comments in writing prior to the public hearing, or by speaking during the public comment period during the hearing –which will be limited by the Commission. Groups are asked to appoint one spokesperson.
If an organization has “party status” they are required to submit their comments, limited to 15 pages, prior to the hearing date. An alternate proposal may be submitted by any organization with “party status.” An alternate proposal must contain text of a proposed rule and a proposed statement of basis and purpose.
There will be a prehearing conference on November 29, in Denver. Anybody with “party status” who fails to appear at this conference will lose their status. At this prehearing conference the mechanics of the hearing will be decided: allocation of hearing time, identification of contested matters, identification of witnesses and exhibits.
The actual hearing will be held on December 5. If an organization has “party status” their comments and exhibits will be subject to cross examination. Any cross examination time will reduce the time allotted to the organization to make their presentation.
The COGCC has posted a list of groups with “party status” at their website. They are primarily members of the oil and gas industry: Anadarko Petroleum, Nobel Energy, Inc., Bill Barrett Corporation, Petroleum Development Corporation, Exxon Mobile XTO Energy, Black Hills Exploration, Williams Production RMT Company, Colorado Oil and Gas Association, Colorado Petroleum Association. There are also environmental groups and local governments that have been granted “party status”, including Western Colorado Congress. Notably absent is Mesa County, although Weld County and Gunnison County applied for status.
I’m planning to be in Denver on November 29 and December 5.
Homework
An Inside Look at Fracking a Well
Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
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