Boulder County Asks Judge To Toss Drilling Moratorium Suit
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Boulder County is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman over the county's moratorium on oil and gas drilling in unincorporated areas.
A motion filed Tuesday argues, among other things, the lawsuit becomes moot on May 1 when the moratorium expires.
The county has had a moratorium in place since 2012, extending it several times. County commissioners have said they needed more time to update land use regulations for oil and gas drilling.
Coffman, a Republican, sued the heavily Democratic county on Feb. 14, saying the county was defying state law and the state Supreme Court.
Last year, the Supreme Court tossed out drilling restrictions imposed by Longmont and Fort Collins, ruling that only the state could regulate the industry, not local governments.
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