Commerce City continues oil and gas moratorium ordinance land use review committee continues work for another month

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. – The City Council of Commerce City unanimously voted this evening to continue Ordinance 1880 until Feb. 27, 2012. This action was based on public testimony from residents as well as a proposal from Hilcorp Energy, which agreed to a voluntary 30-day moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and drilling operations within the city.

The continuance also will allow the city’s oil and gas land use review committee, comprised of residents, industry, interest groups and council members to continue their work and reach a consensus recommendation on potential changes to the city’s land use development code. The committee will also discuss the potential for a Memorandum of Understanding with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regarding operational considerations for future oil and gas development.

The ordinance, if adopted, would create a six-month moratorium on any surface or subsurface use for the conduct of any oil and gas operations that include hydraulic fracturing or drilling activities within the city limits. City Council will consider the ordinance and the work of the land use review committee at its Feb. 27 meeting.

Information on oil and gas activities within the city can be found online at www.c3gov.com/oilgas. Interested parties can also sign up on the website to receive email or text updates.