By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance
After four weeks of testimony and debate, Colorado regulators seem to have aligned on new cumulative-impacts rules that will require more protections from oil and gas firms wanting to drill in already impacted areas but will not shut off future projects altogether.
The Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission broke Thursday afternoon until Oct. 8 but not before coming to a consensus around how oil-and-gas operators must account for their emissions as part of the cumulative impacts of all industry in an area. Environmental advocates have sought such added considerations for five years to better protect poorer communities that already have higher levels of pollution and industrial activity, and the rules the ECMC is developing are expected to go into effect on Jan. 1.
Commissioners seem inclined to reject the most sweeping changes requested by green-minded groups to try to limit projects within what the state defines as disproportionately impacted communities.
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