In the midst of this month’s floods in Colorado, anti-fracking advocates kept their eyes on oil and gas drilling operations in the state, raising the alarm of concern over hundreds of thousands of gallons of fracking fluid and oil that made their way into floodwaters. Now, those advocates are using the flood to highlight the dangers of the industry, considering it a talking point in their fight for a statewide ban.
According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the authoritative body that provides permits and monitors the state’s industry, 34,524 gallons of oil and fracking wastewater made their way into flooded areas.
In comparison to the state’s total fracking-related spills, the recorded leaks associated with the flood are low on the list. The Denver Post, citing COGCC data, ranks the flooding-related spills as the 55th largest to date among the 5,177 reported in the state.
The fracking industry and its advocates are accusing those against drilling in Colorado of using the floods as a way to promote their political agenda, as organizations like East Boulder County United are now using the most recent scenario as a means to lobby for a statewide ban.
“The eco-left is claiming the sky is falling because 35,000 gallons of oil have also spilled into the flood waters,” Oliver Cooke, director of the Energy Policy Sector, told the Washington Times. “That’s like worrying about a single drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.”
Yet for Colorado residents, including those living near flood-struck Boulder, the fracking malfunctions are much more than a “drop of water.”
“We must do a thorough sampling of the area to determine the risks to nearby residences, or downstream users of the Platte River,” Dr. Phillip Doe, environmental issues director for Be the Change said in a press release issued by Frack Free Colorado and East Boulder County United. “The complete chemistry of the water that was released from these condensate tanks is unknown since it is exempted under our environmental laws.”
East Boulder County United, an advocacy group comprised of residents living in and near Boulder County, has emerged as a major force against the fracking industry. In the midst of the flood, the organization’s members monitored fracking operation malfunctions, publishing photos on the group’s Facebook page and pressuring the state to monitor the situation. The organization works closely with other anti-fracking advocacy groups across the state, including Frack Free Colorado.
“I could smell chemicals and I immediately felt light-headed. After a short time my head began pounding and my skin was burning. Obviously, whatever is leaking out of the tank is toxic,” Suzanne Spiegel, a member of Frack Free Colorado, alleged in the press release. “We know that there are many fracking wells in similar condition that need to be investigated, but with so few inspectors for the COGCC, it is concerned citizens and activists who are uncovering this damage.”