More Wells Coming To Erie In Effort To 'Minimize Impact'
By Stan Bush
WELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Few places in Colorado are more accustomed to oil and gas development than Weld county, but that isn't stopping some from wanting to keep more wells from appearing.
Dozens of employees from the Denver-based Extraction Oil and Gas were on hand to discuss the new development in Erie that barely drew a crowd. But Jennifer Calder came and says she's seen enough.
"I'm disgusted this is going in," says Calder. "It's close to our neighborhood. It's close to my kids' school and we have no control over it."
Extraction Oil and Gas says they are about to drill 40 wells in Erie in an effort to be good neighbors.
The company is moving those planned wells from a huge project in Broomfield that already has 99 wells planned for drilling.
"The idea was to move 40 wells from a densely-populated area to a less-densely populated area with a better set back," says Brian Cain, Extraction's director of public affairs.
He says the new wells will be drilled in the middle of Erie's landfill and more than double the state mandated set back to neighborhoods and schools.
"The idea was there would be minimized impact," says Cain.
Calder says there are few opponents because people who live in the area are resigned to the oil and gas industry, but she says the risks aren't going away.
"They are trying to sell all of this like it's something new, but there are oil and gas wells everywhere. We know what it is – this is not new."
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.