East Boulder County United to Submit Lafayette Community Rights Act to Ban Oil and Gas Extraction

For Immediate Release:

East Boulder County United to Submit Lafayette Community Rights Act to Ban Oil and Gas Extraction

Contact:
Cliff Willmeng (303) 478 – 6613
Merrily Mazza (720) 556 – 1286
Rick Casey (303) 345 – 8893

Where: 1290 S. Public Road, Lafayette Colorado, Lafayette City Hall
When: Tuesday, July 9, 11:00 am
What: Press Conference and Rally

East Boulder County United will conclude its petition and signature drive on Tuesday, July 9th, and submit the Lafayette Community Rights Act officially to the City of Lafayette. The Act will create a community Bill of Rights that will explicitly legislate our community’s right to a safe environment and self-determination, and will ban the extraction of oil and gas, and the disposal of associated waste products within Lafayette city limits. East Boulder County United maintains that modern oil and gas extraction is an inherently dangerous process, and that the rights and safety of our community are superior to the private interests of the oil and gas industry.

Approximately 2000 Lafayette voters signed the ballot initiative--more than double the required signatures required to place the Lafayette Community Rights Act to a direct vote of the community.

After one year of research, education and organizing, it has become clear that modern oil and gas extraction, through its use of hydraulic fracturing, would fundamentally alter the quality of life, property values, community well-being, and public health and safety of Lafayette. East Boulder County United believes that these issues are the highest priorities within any community, and that the people of Lafayette have a fundamental right to determine our future without threat of industrial trespass.

East Boulder County United sees the effort to protect the people and environment of Lafayette from oil and gas extraction as part of the larger movement throughout Colorado to reestablish the superiority of community rights over corporate interests. We explicitly endorse the initiatives in Broomfield, Loveland, and Fort Collins to overcome the threats of the oil and gas industry assert public health and safety as the highest community objective.

East Boulder County United will now begin the campaign to educate our community further on the dangers of oil and gas extraction and advance the discussion of community versus corporate rights. We invite all community members, professional organizations, churches, and local businesses to join us in this effort.