DENVER (AP) - The Latest on Boulder County’s oil and gas moratorium (all times local):
3:15 p.m.
Boulder County is accusing Attorney General Cynthia Coffman of giving the oil and gas industry a Valentine’s Day gift by suing over the county’s drilling moratorium on Feb. 14.
Coffman filed suit Tuesday saying the moratorium violates Colorado law and a state Supreme Court ruling.
County officials responded that the moratorium is legal and was imposed to give them time to update land use regulations for drilling.
They say they’ll fight the lawsuit while moving ahead on the revisions. County commissioners have scheduled two meetings on the rules next month.
Coffman’s lawsuit notes the county has had a moratorium in place for five years and still hasn’t finished its rules.
The Supreme Court ruled last year that only the state can regulate the industry, not local governments.
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1 p.m.
Colorado’s attorney general is asking a court to overturn Boulder County’s moratorium on oil and gas drilling, saying it violates state law and a state Supreme Court ruling.
Attorney General Cynthia Coffman filed a lawsuit Tuesday. County officials had no immediate comment.
The county said last week it was prepared to defend the moratorium in court. County Attorney Ben Pearlman said it was legal and was imposed to give the county time to update its land use regulations for oil and gas drilling.
Coffman noted Boulder County has had a moratorium in place since 2012 and has extended it several times. The current expiration date is May 1.
The state Supreme Court last year overturned drilling restrictions imposed by Longmont and Fort Collins, saying local governments cannot regulate the industry.
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