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Ultra has submitted drilling permits with county

December 1st, 2011, 10:43 am by

While Colorado Springs City Council on Wednesday enacted a six-month moratorium on oil and gas exploration within city limits, Ultra Resources has submitted temporary use permit applications with El Paso County.

Ultra is seeking county approval for three well sites in eastern El Paso County. The company also is getting state approval for the drilling.

The applications are being worked through the county’s permitting system, said Craig Dossey, a county project manager and planner.

Dossey said he does not have a timeline for finalizing the permits. Local temporary use permits usually take 60 to 90 days to process.

It has been estimated that Ultra could receive clearance to begin drilling late this month or early in January.

El Paso County commissioners enacted a four-month temporary suspension on the application process on Sept. 29, to give county officials time to draft land use regulations for the industry, but three weeks later made an exception for Ultra Resources, a Texas-based energy developer with an office in Englewood.

Ultra representatives told commissioners they thought they were in the application process at the time commissioners imposed the moratorium because Ultra had spoken to county staff prior to that.

Ultra wants to test drill  for oil and gas on three well sites on Colorado State Land Board property in El Paso County. Ultra paid $1.67 million in July and August to Denver-based Pine Ridge Oil & Gas LLC for mineral leases on nearly 100,000 acres of land in eastern El Paso County and an exploratory well east of Fountain.

Posted in: El Paso County • oil and gas • Ultra Resources • • • | 17 Comments »

How is the Governor doing? County commissioners from around the state weigh in

November 29th, 2011, 4:41 pm by

Gov. John Hickenlooper has been promising for nearly a year that his administration will work collaboratively with county governments, which are considered an arm of state government.

From the executive order he signed on his first day in office in January, agreeing to not impose “unfunded mandates” – laws that cost money but that don’t include additional funding – to his “Bottom-Up Economic Development Plan that included input from Colorado’s 64 counties, Hickenlooper says he’s different than previous governors. And, he said Tuesday, Colorado is becoming a state to model because of the difference in his leadership style.

What do county commissioners from around the state think? Here’s what a few said at this week’s winter conference of Colorado Counties Inc. The conference is being held in Colorado Springs and ends Wednesday.

 “Right now, I think he’s doing a tremendous job. I’ve seen not only the lip service but the walk and the talk. He hit the ground running to not discount the local views, hence his Bottom-Up Economic Development Plan. His administration is responsive and engaged, and they care about local input. But our approach is: ‘We trust but verify.’ So we’ll be watching for the accountability factor.”

–  La Plata County Commissioner Kellie Hotter

       “I think he’s doing a fantastic job. It’s impressive how he’s reached out to counties and the issues that affect citizens. He’s taken four years of going backward and is bringing us forward. He’s accessible. He’ll listen. He’ll do what he can. DouglasCountyis a Republication bastion and my constituents all say the Governor is doing a great job.”

– Douglas County Commissioner  Jack Hilbert, Commissioner

      “He’s a brilliant man. He has a fantastic team that has expertise, as well as the heart to truly work with local government. It’s results that really matter, and the Governor and his team have provided those results. I’ll give him an A.”

– Summit County Commissioner Thomas Davidson

 “I think the Governor gets the message from the counties – that state government can’t continue to send their problems down to the counties on a number of projects. I think he understands that, and the counties understand the state is under a lot of stress. There are still long-range concerns and long-term issues, and people tend to pay the price at the county level.”

– Fremont County Commissioner Ed Norden

 

Posted in: Gov. John Hickenlooper • oil and gas • Uncategorized • • • • | Post a Comment »

County sets timeline for local oil/gas regulations

October 18th, 2011, 4:28 pm by

El Paso Countystaff will begin reviewing draft regulations for local oil and gas regulations Thursday, planner Craig Dossey said this week during a joint meeting of county commissioners and Colorado Springs City Council members. 

Outside agencies related to the industry and stakeholders will receive copies for review and comment Oct. 31.

Comments will be accepted through mid to late November. The county’s planning commission then will issue a recommendation to the board of county commissioners, which will finalize and adopt land use regulations in late December or mid-January.

Commissioners enacted a four-month moratorium on new drilling permits on Sept. 29, to give staff time to develop local land use regulations after it appeared imminent that energy development companies were planning large-scale exploration.

While the state licenses and regulates many aspects of the industry, local jurisdictions can impose their own set of rules, and Dossey defended the decision to do so.

“The state regulates extensively in certain areas — the drilling process, construction, the exploration and production, design of onsite pits, the waste management — but is silent on issues regarding local roads,” he said.

And while the state regulates some of the activities related to environmental damage, Dossey said, “we think there’s still room in terms of air and water quality monitoring.”  

The draft regulations will address a host of issues surrounding exploratory drilling and production, including road impacts, setbacks, water supply, lighting, noise, drainage, erosion control, trash and debris, asthetics, site security, environmental impacts, air and water quality monitoring, floodplains, dust and odor control, emergency response and more.

Commission Chairwoman Amy Lathen will host a public town hall meeting, 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 5 at Peyton High School, 13885 Bradshaw Road, to discuss the county’s oil and gas regulation process.

Posted in: El Paso County • El Paso County Commissioners • oil and gas • Uncategorized • • • | 3 Comments »