ACTION ALERT!! Comment on the State La Plata South County Application

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Community members, we need you again… and we need you LOUD and PROUD! 📢

It’s time to comment on both Civitas’ La Plata South application with Arapahoe County, which proposes a 10.5-acre pad (23 acres total disturbed area) that will support the drilling and operation of up to 17 wells in addition to two existing wells, with fracking underneath Aurora Reservoir. We also have the opportunity to comment on the county’s inspection fee schedule.

However, before taking either action below, it’s important to consider some facts about Arapahoe County’s approach to oil & gas:

FACTS: 

  • Despite a record-breaking outpouring of opposition to the Sunlight-Long well pad and thousands of valid community concerns, Arapahoe County STILL opted to approve the application WITHOUT a public hearing and WITHOUT a full commissioner vote.
  • Arapahoe County also FAILED TO RESPOND to STAR’s request for a public hearing on Sunlight-Long. 

    SO… WHY WAS THIS THE CASE?

    We must ask why the county seems so inclined to green-light these applications without delay?

    • Theory 1: A complete lack of an ability to be unbiased due to Civitas’ county sponsorships, which have totaled $175,000 over the past five years, as confirmed by a county official (not to mention tax revenue…)
    • Theory 2: The state and county are coordinating with each other and with the operators to be “on the same page” about which applications should be approved as-is or what modifications should be suggested to the operators to ensure that the applications become “approvable”. The ECMC has indicated in multiple hearings that the county seems to be on its way toward approving an application, such as La Plata South. In other words, two independent review processes are NOT being run.
    • Theory 3: Civitas’ threat to sell part or all of its Colorado assets (valued at $4 billion, according to multiple news outlets) is having its desired “scare-tactic” impact on both the state of Colorado and Arapahoe County.
    • Theory 4: ALL OF THE ABOVE

      So, if the potential for another “Galeton Geyser”, multiple reservoir risks, health risks, fire risks and Superfund concerns are not enough to have an impact on Arapahoe County… perhaps it’s time to ask the County why it keeps siding with big oil. 

      Additional La Plata South problems to consider in your comments:

      • Even though the site is technically “existing”, Civitas will still be creating a new, larger pad, disturbing more land, moving equipment and adding more wells.
      • Drilling under Aurora Reservoir has not been done yet – the county still has the opportunity to shut this down and limit negative impacts on our water supply!
      • The cumulative impacts of all the well pads within the Lowry Ranch are not being properly considered, especially with numerous proposed “mega-pads” with 15+ wells per pad. 
      • Bennett-Watkins Fire is a small operation, is several miles away from La Plata South and is responsible for several fracking sites. Fire danger has not been properly accounted for in this application. 

       ACTION 1: Make your La Plata South comments here before June 18: https://s.alchemer.com/s3/State-La-Plata-Public-Comment 


       ACTION 2: Review the county’s inspection fee schedule https://files.arapahoeco.gov/Public%20Works_Development/oil%20and%20gas/ProposedInspectionFees2025.pdf and make your Inspection Program comments here before June 16: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8342123/Arapahoe-County-Oil-and-Gas-Inspection-Fees

      Thank you for your continued support! 💙

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