Coga

The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday decided to take jurisdiction over appeals of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) restrictions enacted by Longmont and Fort Collins, CO, following a request from the state Court of Appeals (see Shale Daily, Aug. 19).

The Colorado Court of Appeals has asked the state’s high court to take jurisdiction over appeals of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) restrictions enacted by Longmont and Fort Collins, CO (see Shale Daily,Nov. 10, 2014).

Tisha Schuller, CEO of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), said Monday she will leave the leadership spot later this year after a five-year run. A national firm has been hired to search for her replacement, according to COGA spokesperson Doug Flanders.

Republicans in the lower house of the Colorado legislature have developed a proposed law for consideration next year that would require the payment of royalties to mineral owners by any local government entity that imposed a ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Given political and legal developments in recent months that strengthen the state’s position in regulating oil and natural gas activities, the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) agreed Tuesday to dismiss its nearly two-year-old lawsuit against a city ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) passed by Longmont, CO, voters.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) on Tuesday filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by local control activists against the industry group, the state and Gov. John Hickenlooper. COGA also is seeking court sanctions against the activists for the allegedly frivolous lawsuits.

A state district court in Boulder, CO, recently completed a hearing on the oil and natural gas industry’s legal challenges to the Longmont city ban on drilling, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), within the city. A judge is being asked to invalidate the city ban (see Shale Daily, July 17, 2013).

With support from the oil/gas industry, Colorado lawmakers are recrafting a bill (HB 1356) this session to increase maximum fines that can be assessed against oil and natural gas operators for "significant waste of oil/gas resources." Similar legislation was defeated last year (see Daily GPI, May 10, 2013).

A Colorado congressman Thursday called on the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) to immediately withdraw its lawsuits challenging bans on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the cities of Fort Collins and Lafayette.