Boulder Commissioner Debates Governor On Fracking
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Boulder County Commissioner Elise Jones says communities should be able to enact local rules for oil and gas drilling, on top of state rules.
Jones debated Gov. John Hickenlooper on Monday at the University of Denver on the impacts of natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which involves blasting a mix of water, sand and chemicals underground to free oil and gas.
Longmont and Fort Collins have banned the practice. Hickenlooper said Monday that past court rulings suggest cities can't do that because mineral rights owners have to have reasonable access to recover the minerals for which they own the rights.
The Colorado Oil & Gas Association has filed a lawsuit challenging Longmont's fracking ban.
Three hecklers were ejected from the debate. One left playing a harmonica.
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