Environmental Planning and Management
Position in Brief:
Support of measures to improve the coordination, effectiveness and efficiency of governmental units within the state of Colorado and measures which promote integrated planning for environmental management, wise use of Colorado’s water resources and other natural resources, comprehensive statewide planning for land use, and a balanced transportation system. Support policies that enhance public participation in the permitting and monitoring of oil and gas operations in the state.
POSITION: (Adopted 1971)
- The structure of state government should insure coordination and cooperation among state agencies. The responsibilities and enforcement powers of state boards and commissions should be clarified.
- The state should be allowed to set more restrictive standards than the federal government.
- The state should provide technical support to local governments in matters of environmental planning and management.
- Development projects in Colorado should be environmentally sound, and should be in compliance with all federal and state environmental laws.
- Federal installations and lands should comply with state regulation, and state enforcement agencies should be permitted inspection rights at federal installations.
The public should be involved early in the decision-making process, and procedures should be established which allow for alternative solutions.
Criteria for Decisions:
- Creation of a clean and healthy environment which takes into account the quality of life and provides the greatest benefit to the greatest number of citizens, present and future.
- The physical suitabilities of the land, the current or potential adequacy of necessary services and facilities (including local and regional transportation), and the capability of the area to support an adequate employment base for current and future populations.
- Recognition that long-range ecological effects have greater importance than short-range problems.
- Industrial growth which is evaluated carefully for environmental impact with recognition given to the varying needs of different geographic areas.
- Consideration of distribution and growth of population and conservation of natural resources.
- The nonrenewable resources of Colorado constitute a wealth that is a heritage of the people. The people of the state of Colorado bear the burden of the social, economic, environmental and aesthetic impact of the extraction of these resources from the state and should be compensated accordingly.
LWVCO Oil and Gas Development Position Statement Amendment
March 21, 2024
LWVCO supports laws, rules and regulations that enhance public participation in the permitting and monitoring and closure of oil and gas development and operations in the state. LWVCO supports efforts to improve coordination with local governments for environmental management and wise land use. We support strong environmental laws, rules and regulations for water, air and soil quality as well as full transparency and safeguards for risks to human health and impacts on wildlife. The LWVCO supports transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy to address climate crisis.
The LWVCO supports:
Public Information Access: Transparent, user-friendly websites for posting public notices, industry violations, public complaints, resolution of issues and affording public access to real-time or near real-time air quality information. Public hearings held in the impacted community and/or conducted virtually with community stakeholders.
Environmental Protection: Environmental and environmental justice laws, rules and regulations that protect against actions that are harmful to the environment, public health, welfare, safety and wildlife resources.
Transparent Chemical Use and Disposal Reporting: Transparency in the reporting of all chemicals used and proper waste disposal during all phases of operations from exploration to final decommissioning, reclamation and closure of facilities.
Adequate Funding of Government Oversight: Funding for training and adequate numbers of independent inspectors/staff and adequate budgets for government enforcement and resolution of issues to ensure that operations are safe, all laws, rules and regulations are implemented and environmental incidents are properly reported and remediated.
Protection of Water Quality and Quantity: Development and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations that protect water resources. Monitoring, reporting and regulatory oversight of water quantity used and water quality to protect water resources, minimize use of freshwater and maximize reuse of water in all phases of operations from exploration to final decommissioning, reclamation and closure. Research and development of effective water reuse/recycle technology.
Protection of Air Quality: Development and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations that protect air quality. Monitoring, reporting and regulatory oversight of emissions in all phases of oil and gas development, including pre-production, operation and closure. The use of best available technologies to better characterize and reduce emissions and ozone formation, including ozone precursors, GHGs, co-pollutants, and other toxic and carcinogenic air emissions. Air quality modeling to understand impacts of new and existing emissions sources, to predict ambient air quality and support control strategies that decrease emissions.
Cumulative Impacts Analysis: Strong cumulative-impact laws, rules and regulations that require government, industry, and community cumulative-impacts analysis to protect human health and the environment. Implementation of laws, rules, regulations, policies and guidelines to address the cumulative impacts of oil and gas development on climate, public health, safety and welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources.
Financial Assurance: Development and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations requiring oil and gas industry operators to provide adequate financial assurance to ensure the industry’s ability to perform all its obligations to protect taxpayers, public health and the environment from exploration, to final decommissioning, reclamation and closure. Industry funded programs to plug and remediate abandoned wells. Regular public performance review of the agency administering funds to ensure adequate financial controls are in place.
Government Collaboration and Coordination: Local, regional, state and national government collaboration and interagency coordination in addressing oil and gas pollution, mitigation, remediation and restoration efficiently and effectively. Government collaboration with the private sector to foster research and development of science-based best practices and improvement in technology.
Environmental Justice: Laws, rules and regulations providing for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, income, disability and tribal affiliation in oil and gas development, operation and closure. Laws, rules and regulations must provide the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards for all, and equal access to the decision-making process for a healthy environment in which to live, learn, work and play.