HB 18-1289

House Bill 18-1289, which has been signed into law, protects school districts and local government-owned open spaces from being forced to participate in oil and gas drilling projects without their consent. This means that if a school district or a local government owns mineral rights on land designated as open space, they cannot be compelled by oil companies to allow drilling unless the owner agrees voluntarily. The bill ensures these entities have more control over how their lands are used for resource extraction.

Official Summary

Current law authorizes 'forced' or 'statutory' pooling, a process by which any interested person–typically an oil and gas operator–may apply to the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission for an order to pool and develop oil and gas resources located within a particularly identified drilling unit absent consent from the mineral owner. The bill exempts school districts that own mineral rights and mineral rights owners that are located on open space designated by a local government if the local government acquired the mineral rights before the application was filed from being forced pooled but maintains their ability to engage in voluntary pooling. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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