AURORA, Colo — Colorado’s oversight agency for oil and gas operations has approved a sprawling fracking plan, known as the Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan, which was strongly opposed by community members who live nearby.
Civitas, one of Colorado’s biggest oil and gas operators, submitted the plan to the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) two years ago. Since then, the operator has made changes requested by the ECMC and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which said it was concerned that fracking surrounding and underneath a nearby superfund site “could lead to a significant unintended release of hazardous substances.”
The state commissioners approved the plan in a 3-1 vote Wednesday. The approval includes conditions meant to address community concerns, including that Civitas must use emissions-reducing electric drilling equipment.
The Lowry Ranch plan includes proposals to drill nearly 160 wells east of the Aurora Reservoir, neighborhoods and schools. This is …