Petition for Colorado Residents Only
Tell the State Land Board not to allow fracking at the Lowry Bombing Range.
The Colorado State Land Board is currently considering a proposal to lease 1600-2600 acres of the Lowry Bombing Range for hydraulic fracturing (known as fracking) for oil production. Â It is considering allowing 19 to 98 wells.
In 2007, after numerous meetings and forums with the public and government agencies, this land was designated as a "sustainable development model", with "resource sensitive growth" Â to protect surrounding land and water resources. Â This land sits above 4 aquifers and is near the Aurora Reservoir.
Just 20 wells would require 400,000 tanker truck trips, and 8 billion gallons of clean water that would be contaminated when injected into the ground with 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals. Up to 98 wells are being considered and 20 wells would represent a large scale industrial operation.Â
Because of the significant risk for: air, noise, and light pollution, water and soil contamination, seismic activity, harm to public health and the natural environment, diminished quality of life, and adverse economic impacts (including diminished property values, as well as enormous amounts of clean water that would be used to extinction in the fracking process) fracking is not compatible with the determined purpose and terms of use for the land, as set by the State Land Board and its stakeholders in 2007.
We request that the State Land Board reject considerations for such operations until oil production from shale can be accomplished with technology and regulatory oversight that substantially decreases risks to public health and safety, and to our environment and water security. Â If the State Land Board wishes to further consider oil production from shale at the Lowry Bombing Range in the future, it should initiate a process of public forums, including all the stakeholders contacted in 2007, in order to obtain input from area residents regarding such a radical departure from the 2007 consensus regarding appropriate usage of that land.
