A neighborhood group in Aurora is exploring options for the future after an oil and gas debacle Fracking project near the Aurora Reservoir was recently approved by a state commission.

Opponents of the project argue Fracking – the use of water to fracture underground rocks for oil extraction – poses health risks to local residents as well as environmental risks to the reservoir and surrounding ecosystems.

Nearly two years agoKevin Chan learned something about the future of his southeast Aurora neighborhood that upset him.

“There was a post on our neighborhood Facebook page about mineral rights,” Chan said in 2022.

He found out that Crestone Peak Resources Operating, an oil and gas company, was planning a large oil and gas fracking project called Lowry CAP near his home and the Aurora Reservoir. He was concerned about the impact it would have on his health and the environment, so he started a Facebook group called Save the Aurora Reservoir.

“My initial thoughts were to just inform my community and at least involve it in some way, but never to form a formal community group or resistance to it,” Chan said.

This Facebook group developed into a grassroots initiative that wanted to stop the project altogether. For two years, he and some of his neighbors organized a fight to stop the project.

“It was tough. You know, it was about raising funds, spreading the word and getting the community involved,” Chan said.

All of their efforts culminated this month when they presented their case to the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission.

“People from all walks of life, professions and levels of knowledge about the oil and gas industry have looked at this CAP. They have come to the same conclusion: It provides no protection,” said Mike Foote, an attorney representing Save The Aurora Reservoir.

Crestone Peak Resources Operating argued that they had studied the impacts of the project and it was safe.

“This commission has heard from an activist group with no real legitimacy whose sole mission is to ban oil and gas development on Lowry Ranch,” said Kelsey Wasylenky, an attorney representing Crestone Peak Resources Operating.

Ultimately, the Commission approved the project.

In a statement, Kait Schwartz, director of the American Petroleum Institute of Colorado, said:

“Since the passage of Senate Bill 19-181, the ECMC and local governments have implemented one of the most stringent regulatory frameworks in the country, and our industry has worked diligently to meet these high standards over the past five years. This decision to approve the Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan is an example of how Colorado remains open for business thanks to the hard work and diligence of our operators.

It is disappointing and telling that despite meeting all the requirements of local and state laws, including Senate Bill 19-181, there was still significant opposition from individuals and organizations that drafted those laws. Our operators are proud to produce in Colorado, yet it is disheartening to encounter such opposition even when regulations and requirements are strictly followed. This application and decision should serve as a model for how to address future projects, and we look forward to continuing to work with state agencies, stakeholders and the public to ensure we operate responsibly and meet our state’s increasingly ambitious standards.”

Kevin says he is disappointed and not sure what his group’s next step will be, if they take one at all.

“We really need to take a close look at what’s going to happen with this group,” Chan said.