Setback limits for schools and child care centers


 "Weld County does not want your bill," said Firestone Republican Rep. Lori Saine when Lafayette Democratic Rep. Mike Foote announced a bill that was set to increase the distance oil and gas wells could be from schools and child care centers. According to the Times Call Local News article, Saine went on to say “In Weld County, if you increase setbacks any more than they are now, it would ban drilling," The article notes that the current setback limits for permanent school buildings is 1,000 feet. Foote’s bill would require oil and gas wells to be located 1,000 feet from the property line rather than the building. Rep. Foote claimed, whenever a regulation is brought forward on the oil and gas industry, those opposed say it is a ban on drilling. He goes on to say that this is not true. According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, these regulations would only affect 0.008 percent of the overall land acreage in Weld county and 0.006 percent statewide. One reason mentioned for this bill is it would provide more safety in distance from students and teachers inside “temporary modular classrooms on school campuses”. Per the article Saine said in a statement that "there are numerous studies, including one from Colorado's Department of Public Health, showing existing oil and gas regulations are safe, yet Democrats want to double an already safe distance for political gain." Saine also said the that the democrat’s agenda was not about safety, but “using arbitrary setbacks to ban the oil and gas industry.” Those at the top of the oil and gas industry were questioning legislatures getting involved when it comes to the industry, saying the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was the appropriate place for this discussion to take place. After reading this article, the biggest questions that come to my mind are What are the true intentions of those who are for the bill and those who are opposed to the bill.

http://www.timescall.com/longmont-local-news/ci_30887589/colorado-house-approves-lafayette-rep-mike-footes-oil


Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 10, 2018 at 6:12 PM

    Hey Matt,
    I like the topic of the essay you choose to write about. I'm trying to tackle this issue as well in my essay. Its crazy to me that you have one side saying the ban is to help stop health factors arising to those living next to oil wells, but then the industry itself says there are no health factors. I think the biggest question for this topic in general is what would happen to the economy if this bill was to be passed? I can't remember if you've said in other discussions but what side are your writing your essay for? Are you writing in favor of the setback or against it? I'm looking forward to reading more about your topic to not only give me some ideas to cover in my essay as well as just gaining more knowledge about the topic.

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  2. KSEng121BlogJuly 10, 2018 at 9:10 PM

    Were you able to find any information backing the claims on either side? I can understand why people would want to set wells further back from schools and child care centers, but what was the reasoning behind changing it from the distance between the building and the well to the distance between the property line and the well? Also, did either side of the argument give their reasoning as to their position on this issue or just give points as to why the other side of the argument is wrong? What does the Colorado Department of Public Health’s study, along with the other “numerous studies” show in regards to the safety of current regulations? I’m curious to see what you find out and if you are able to determine what each side's true intentions are.

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