City of Longmont v. Colorado Oil: Fracking Ban Preempted by State Law

City of Longmont v. Colorado Oil & Gas Association addressed whether a Colorado home-rule municipality could prohibit hydraulic fracturing within city limits. Longmont voters had adopted a ban, while the oil and gas industry and state regulators argued that the ordinance conflicted with statewide regulation.

The Colorado Supreme Court affirmed the invalidation of the ban, concluding that it operationally conflicted with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act. The decision recognized local interests in land use and public health but held that the state’s comprehensive regulatory framework and interest in oil and gas development prevailed in this mixed-concern area.

Original article:https://www.whitcomblawpc.com/business-law-blog/city-of-longmont-v.-colorado-oil-fracking-ban-preempted-by-state-law