The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission announced today a new, more streamlined process for handling public complaints related to oil and gas development.
The new process makes it easier for the public to file complaints, and makes the agency’s process for addressing, closing and communicating complaints more effective and transparent.
The COGCC has created a dedicated webpage at cogcc.state.co.us to assist the public with filing complaints. That website –which can also be reached via a link on the left-hand site of the COGCC home page – includes the following features:
· A newly developed and easy to use tool to file a complaint online.
· Guidance for how to file a complaint. To be considered a formal complaint, all complaints are required to be in a written format.
· Questions and answers related to the complaint process, including what to expect and rights of the complainant.
The improved process for public complaints is the latest of numerous steps undertaken by the COGCC to improve regulation of oil and gas development in Colorado.
Since 2011, the administration of Governor Hickenlooper has crafted rules to increase setbacks, reduce nuisance impacts, protect groundwater, cut emissions, disclose hydraulic fracturing chemicals, increase spill reporting and significantly elevate penalties for operators violating Commission rules.
The Commission has also significantly expanded oversight staff, intensified collaboration with local governments, sponsored ongoing studies to increase understanding of impacts to air and water and adopted several formal policies to address health and safety issues brought about by new technologies and increased energy development in Colorado.