Colorado is overhauling the laws governing how the oil and gas industry operates in the state. The legislation seeks to put more protections on public health, safety and the environment as it relates to oil and gas development. Colorado has emerged as a major source of shale drilling in recent years, and as new fracked wells proliferate, they have encroached upon denser populations, particularly around the suburbs north of Denver . As communities come in ever-greater contact with the industry, conflict has increased. Last year, a public referendum on increasing the required setback distance for shale wells from homes and schools became a huge flashpoint. The industry poured money into the vote, vastly outspending proponents of greater setbacks. Expanding setback distances would have put a lot of drilling off limits, so much so that the industry said it threatened to grind oil and gas production to a halt. The […]