Local

Although it has little oil/natural gas activity, voters in California’s central coast Monterey County approved a ballot measure banning new oil/gas development in the county, including the use of well stimulation techniques such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Siding with the oil/natural gas industry, the Colorado Supreme Court on Monday struck down a ban and moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) by the cities of Longmont and Fort Collins, respectively. The state’s high court affirmed that the local government actions were preempted by state law and therefore were invalid and unenforceable.

Siding with the oil/natural gas industry, the Colorado Supreme Court on Monday struck down a ban and moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) by the cities of Longmont and Fort Collins, respectively. The state’s high court affirmed that the local government actions were preempted by state law and therefore were invalid and unenforceable.

Colorado’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) on Monday established new rules proposed by a statewide task force last year that are designed to give local governments more of a role in siting large oil/gas facilities near communities and to “bridge the regulatory roles” between state and local officials.

Decisions on proposals to turn two of the governor’s local control task force recommendations into statewide rules are scheduled to be made Monday when the Colorado Oil/Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) reconvenes hearings that began last fall on the proposed rules.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) said this week it doesn’t plan to include a time-out provision for mandated short drilling lulls under draft local control rules undergoing public comment because regulators already have that authority.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) will hold hearings Monday and Tuesday in Denver to hammer out new rules to implement two recommendations made early this year by Gov. John Hickenlooper’s statewide local control task force (see Shale Daily, Feb. 25).

A Democratic state senator has introduced legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to allow local municipalities and school districts to tax natural gas pipelines.

A Democratic state senator has introduced legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to allow local municipalities and school districts to tax natural gas pipelines.