Report Notes Colorado Schools Near Oil, Gas Wells

DENVER (AP) -- A group pushing for stronger Colorado rules on how far oil and gas drilling must be from buildings says there are 199 active and proposed wells within 2,000 feet of public schools in Adams, Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties.

The report is by the environmental policy group Western Resource Advocates. It comes as the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has been holding meetings with stakeholders to discuss rules regarding where wells can be located.

Currently, Colorado requires wellheads to be at least 350 feet from facilities including schools and hospitals.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Association says that of more than 5,000 well locations that the oil and gas commission has reviewed since 2009, about 91 percent are set back more than 500 feet from any building.

By Catherine Tsai, AP Writer (© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)