The public is now invited to weigh in on Crestone Peak Resources LLC's proposal for a sizable oil and gas facility in Arapahoe County. The so-called State Wetterhorn-Handies facility, if approved, will see 20 wells drilled on a site two miles south of East Quincy Avenue and roughly three miles west of Tom Bay Road. Crestone, operating as Civitas, has submitted a complete application for this development on State Land Board property, aiming to establish a gravel pad spanning 350 feet by 1,500 feet for their drilling operations, according to Arapahoe County.
With a deadline of August 25 at 11:59 p.m., those hoping to review the application documents and provide feedback can do so through the Oil and Gas website. It's worth noting that Arapahoe County's Public Works and Development department is currently carefully reviewing the application against the backdrop of the area's Land Development Code (LDC). In recent years, the county has notably bolstered these regulations, now touted as the state's strictest, following amendments in 2023 and 2024, which addressed essential environmental concerns such as setbacks, air and water quality monitoring.
The facility's potential footprint, near residential zones, has heightened concerns to warrant additional scrutiny. By incorporating enhanced facets of air and water safety, the amendments aim to assuage fears surrounding the possible environmental repercussions the facility might impose. These stringent guidelines resulted from "years of feedback from industry and stakeholders," per the county's commitment to maintaining an objective framework for such evaluations.
