State Threatens To Sue Boulder County For Oil-Gas Moratorium

LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) — Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman is threatening to sue Boulder County if it doesn't repeal a moratorium on oil and gas development in unincorporated areas by Feb. 10.

The Longmont Times-Call reported Thursday that Coffman cited a 2015 Colorado Supreme Court ruling that only the state can regulate the industry, not local governments.

The county commissioners planned to meet in closed session to discuss Coffman's threat.
The county has had a moratorium in place since 2012, extending it several times.

Commissioners voted in December to extend until at least May 1 while they revise the county's oil and gas regulations.

In a letter to the commissioners, Coffman calls the moratorium a ban and says she suspects the county will keep it in place beyond May 1.

She calls it "clearly unlawful."

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