State considers plan to drill near Aurora Reservoir amid protests from neighbors

Colorado regulators will decide as soon as Tuesday whether to allow 166 oil and gas wells on state-owned land near the Aurora Reservoir and nearby neighborhoods.

Why it matters: The proposed drilling operation on 32,000 acres in unincorporated Arapahoe County, just east of Aurora, is the latest flash point in the debate about how close fracking should come to homes and sensitive areas.

Friction point: Hundreds of residents near the reservoir are challenging the plan from Crestone Peak Resources and hope to convince the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission at a day-long hearing that the health and safety impacts are too great to allow drilling so close to a drinking water source, a Superfund landfill and the Southshore neighborhood.

By the numbers: Arapahoe County requires drilling operations to stay 3,000 feet away from neighborhoods and sensitive areas — more than the statewide 2,000-foot buffer.

Yes, but: One backyard is just 3,200 feet from one of the planned rigs, and opponents — organized as Save the Aurora Reservoir — argue the pollution emission from the operation will extend beyond the well pads.

What they're saying: "It is widely understood that living near oil and gas development can cause negative health outcomes," STAR argued in hearing documents, the Colorado Sun reports . "Increases in ozone precursor chemical emissions can also lead to higher ground-level ozone levels."

The other side: Crestone plans to drill 7,500 feet underground with wells running horizontally under the neighborhood and surrounding area, something its representatives contend is safe and common in Colorado.

• In addition, the company is pledging to reduce impacts by using sound walls, low-emission engines and pipelines to reduce truck traffic.
• Crestone also agreed not to drill under the Lowry Landfill.

What we're watching: The state commission's director, Julie Murphy, recommended that the state board approve the plan for the project, the Denver Post reports . She found that it "complies with all applicable requirements."

• A decision could come today or at least by the end of the week, officials said.