The state approved 22 oil and gas wells in a Battlement Mesa residential community late last week.
The well pad, which sits within 1,000 feet of a subdivision, is the second development to be approved under the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s new rules about drilling in urban areas.
The location of this well pad was contested by neighbors because of its proximity to the community’s water intake on the Colorado River.
“We feel that we have a rigorous process that this permit went through and that our rules and the conditions will be protective of public health, safety, and the environment,” said Matt Lepore, director of the state commission.
A hearing about this well pad had been postponed several times since July, and because of the approval, it will no longer be held.
Representatives with the group Battlement Concerned Citizens decried the decision and say they will continue to push for local and state regulations for drilling in residential neighborhoods.