Secret Stash 1-Click – Save The Aurora Reservoir

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Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners
5334 S Prince St.
Littleton, CO 80120

Dear Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners,

I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the pending approval of the Secret Stash well pad in our area (SECRET STASH 5-65 35 PAD APPLICATION, CASE NO. AE24-005). The proposed location for this new pad is within the boundaries of the proposed Civitas Lowry Ranch CAP, very close to the Civitas State Beaver well pad as well as large residential neighborhoods and schools, which makes it a significant concern.  I urge you to carefully consider the following points:

– The GMT pad will add an additional 20 wells to an already 166 wells proposed by the Civitas Lowry Ranch CAP. It will increase the risk of chemical spills, wildfires, pollution, seismic activity and health issues for thousands of residents.  This large-scale industrial project would also increase heavy truck traffic and noise pollution in areas with disproportionately impacted communities and vulnerable wildlife.

– The map that was posted on the County notification for the “Location of proposed Secret Stash Well Pad and it’s proposed pipeline” was unclear and unacceptable.

– The county must insist that GMT use equipment with the lowest possible noise levels to meet the noise models on which their plan is based. That should include fully noise controlled turbine generators and electric compression equipment for fracking as well as full electrification of all drilling and production operations.

– GMT proposes using combustors and flares to burn unwanted gas in conflict with Arapahoe County’s rules banning flaring. There is a great influx of oil and gas in the area already being proposed and we have had an unprecedented number of high ozone/poor air quality days already this year. We are already in an EPA non-attainment zone, and fracking is a major contributor to ozone. What is the point of having clean air regulations if the fact that we are already in violation has no impact on permitting future industry?

– This development has the potential for Induced Seismicity or the inadvertent upward migration of oil, gas and/or produced water through faults in the Pierre Shale into the Denver Basin Aquifers and possibly affect surface water and/or indoor air in homes, schools or other occupied structures.

– Our area desperately needs baseline studies, which our community continues to reiterate. An example of this is that no surface water samples are being proposed – despite having one or more small freshwater ponds/wetlands near the pad. Is the impact on public health being considered with respect to all the other proposed well sites within Arapahoe County?

– Appropriate maps must be provided to the county, the public and environmental experts to confirm if this includes and affects high-priority habitat.

– They propose to use ½ billion gallons of water to drill and develop these wells. Colorado is expected to run short of water for public use by 2050… is using this water for fracking more important than drinking water security for the community?

– Disposal of Produced Water and Drilling Mud will be outside Arapahoe County, where is it being disposed and how will it be safely transported?

For the sake of our community, I urge the county to reject this and other applications in the region at this time in order to get complete air and water surveys and baselines for the area. There is already a record number of approved oil and gas permits in the state over the last few years. The most important action at this time is for baselines to be established. It is the County and State’s responsibility to ensure that the wellbeing of the public and our ecosystem are protected. Approving applications like this without getting a comprehensive baseline of factors critical to human and environment health is incredibly dangerous.

I urge the Board of Commissioners to prioritize the protection of our community’s health, environment, and natural resources in all decision-making processes. I respectfully ask that the Board deny the use of the administrative review process and instead hold formal public hearings for this and all other applications related to the Lowry Ranch. The consideration of these applications should also await the implementation of the County’s 2b regulations currently in progress.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,