Boulder County Drilling Moratorium Up For Vote

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Boulder County commissioners are deciding whether to extend a ban on new oil and gas development in unincorporated parts of the county.

The moratorium is set to end on Jan. 1, 2015 and commissioners are meeting Thursday to decide whether to continue it or change it.

The Daily Camera reported that more than 100 people attended a hearing on the moratorium Monday in Longmont and none of them spoke in favor of lifting it.

The group Frack-Free Boulder is asking commissioners to extend the moratorium until at least 2018, the year after a National Science Foundation-funded study on drilling impacts is expected to be completed at the University of Colorado.

There are currently 194 active oil and gas wells in unincorporated areas and county open space.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)