Sign Local Control-Moratorium-Oppose Delta County Repeal

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Dear Delta County Commissioners,

I am writing to you today, because I am pleased to see that you agree that a time-out is needed to revise Delta County’s outdated and inadequate oil and gas regulations. However, I am outraged that your proposed solution is a knee-jerk repeal of the oil and gas regulations, with no plans to replace them, that punts the time-out to the State.

I recognize that the new oil and gas reform act, SB 181, has changed the regulatory landscape for the better, and has given the state more power as well. However, there is a reason why SB 181 granted explicit powers for local government. The State knows that it cannot address local issues the way local government can. So I don’t understand how you can claim that the State’s regulations are better at addressing local concerns than ours. The Delta County Oil and Gas Working Group’s recommendations point clearly to County issues the State does not address.

We in the West have always advocated for local control, whether it’s with the state or the federal government. If you waive local control here because it’s convenient, where else will you waive it because it’s the easy thing to do to avoid being held accountable to the citizens you serve? You are going down a very slippery slope here, and I am opposed to the direction you are taking.

A temporary moratorium is a sound and reasonable action for the County to take. It gives the County the time it needs, preserves local control, maintains regulatory authority over existing development, and protects Delta County citizens. There is no risk to the County for imposing a moratorium! This is especially true since the County planned on revising the oil and gas regulations to coincide with the land use code revisions in the Fall of 2019. Repealing the regulations does nothing to protect the community. All it appears to do is insulate the County from a lawsuit, which a moratorium does better. The County could also avoid legal risk by simply following its regulations.

I am opposed to the proposed amendments to the Specific Development Regulations that would repeal Appendix I of the Specific Development Regulations making oil and gas an exempt activity, without a proposal to adopt new regulations that will protect Delta County citizens. It is great to hear that the County is interested in incorporating public input into this process, but that is not the same as regulatory oversight. Public input without County authority to act is meaningless. That’s a waste of taxpayer dollars and time.

Sincerely,

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DELTA COUNTY NEEDS LOCAL CONTROL OVER

OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

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DELTA COUNTY NEEDS LOCAL CONTROL OVER

OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

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