Colorado Supreme Court clears way for petitions for referendum to allow local fracking limits

Colorado has moved one step closer to letting its citizens determine the future of hydraulic fracturing in the state. The state Supreme Court "ruled this week that community advocates can move forward with ballot initiatives that would give local governments more control over oil and gas drilling," Ellen Gilmer reports for EnergyWire. (Denver Public Library map)

The measure, supported by the group Safe Clean Colorado and backed by Democratic Rep. Jared Polis, still needs the required 86,000 signatures to appear on the November ballot, Gilmer writes. But if it makes it on the ballot, and is approved by voters, it "would amend the state constitution to ensure that municipalities can ban or limit hydraulic fracturing and other industry activity within their borders. The measures also stipulate that mineral owners may not sue for a regulatory taking if a local government blocks development of their oil and gas."

"Industry groups argued that the initiatives contained misleading titles and were in violation of state law that requires ballot measures to address only one subject," Gilmer writes. "The court rejected the argument, finding the measures to be fairly worded and properly focused on one subject." (Read more)