Group Of Moms In Boulder County Taking On Big Oil

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A group of mothers in Boulder County are taking on big oil in the middle of a battle against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

The group of mothers and children will be at the courthouse Monday handing out postcards to the county commissioners asking for a new moratorium on fracking so that more research can be done. It is a grassroots effort that started outside a local grocery store.

"We need to know whether or not it's safe before we allow any more hydraulic fracturing to continue," Neshama Abraham with Frack Free Boulder said.

They're asking Boulder County commissioners to enact a new moratorium on fracking so health assessment studies can be conducted. The county's current moratorium expires June 10.

"I'm really concerned about just fracking and what it's doing to the water and the air," Xiuhtezcatl Martinez with Frack Free Colorado said.

"I think that as the younger generation we'll be affected we have a right to do something about it and it's our obligation because it's our planet they'll be inheriting," Abraham said.

County Commissioner Elise Jones says she has an open mind and looks forward to hearing from the Boulder moms.

"I fully understand and hear their concerns about their children's health and we in Boulder County are committed to using all the authority that we have to protect our air and water and the public's health," Jones said.

Jones says the commissioners wish they had more authority on the issue, but that happens at the state level. Abraham says that's why the proposed pause is the perfect solution.

We know there's a legally defensible path. It's the smart thing to do for public safety," Abraham said.

There will be a public hearing in Boulder County on oil and gas issues next Thursday at 4 p.m.

LINK: Frack Free Boulder