City Council Puts Fracking Moratorium On Hold

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) - A moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in Broomfield is now indefinitely postponed.

The decision came after a late-night city council vote on Tuesday.

The goal is to build about 140 new fracking wells near the Anthem and Wildgrass neighborhoods.

As many as 1,000 people attended a city council meeting last month where people testified about giving the city more control over oil and gas development.

Last year, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled against long-term fracking bans, but issued no opinion on "marginally shorter" bans. That has created legal ambiguity over whether it is constitutionally acceptable for a local government like Broomfield to enact a 5-month ban on oil and gas production.

The company behind the plan says it will take a few months to review the project before moving forward.