A growing boom in natural gas drilling near homes and schools prompted the city of Longmont, Colo., to vote last July to bar new oil and gas permits in residential neighborhoods. The state quickly overturned the ordinance: Gov. John Hickenlooper said that letting it stand would “stir-up a hornet’s nest,” encouraging other Colorado towns to pass their own drilling rules. Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs argued that communities have the right to restrict heavy industry in residential zones — including oil and gas drilling. The root of the regulatory breakdown lies with elected officials who take hefty campaign contributions from frackers.
Fracking the Law
