Letter to Weld County Commissioner: Barbara Kirkmeyer | ( Kirkmeyer claims no groundwater contamination from oil & gas)

Dear Barb Kirkmeyer et al.,

Your recent comment in theColoradoan.com http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201307161604/NEWS01/307160017 you state: 'Fracking detractors are trying to “scare the crap out of everybody with the wrong facts and making things up,” said Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer, '  “They’re out there saying all sorts of things about how it’s contaminating the groundwater, and you know, that’s not true,” Kirkmeyer said.

I'd like to inform you that your assertions are inaccurate, and without merit in regards to groundwater contamination(s) in Weld County as a result oil and gas operations. Your claim that oil & gas operations do not, and have not contaminated groundwater are simply unfounded.

I’m rather surprised that you, in your elected seat, appear to not have conducted due diligence by reviewing official COGCC data showing that Weld County not only has hundreds of groundwater contaminations, but the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer was also officially documented by the COGCC as contaminated by an oil and gas operation in 2009 with thermogenic methane, and an EPA known frac fluid, toluene. LINK: http://www.fractivist.blogspot.com/2012/10/colorado-aquifer-contaminated-by.html 

COGCC LINK: http://cogcc.state.co.us/cogis/FacilityDetail.asp?facid=12311848&type=WELL

I recently published a peer reviewed study of 1,000 randomly sampled, officially documented oil & gas operator spills in Weld County which indicate that 43% of all spills in Weld County resulted in groundwater contamination. DATA: http://www.fractivist.blogspot.com/2012/10/17-million-gallons-of-toxic-oil-and-gas.html

I’ll provide you with a recent, example, to demonstrate how common groundwater contamination occurs in your backyard, Weld County. Here is a link to an operator spill from July 9^th 2013 where the COGCC indicates that groundwater was in-fact impacted. LINK: http://cogcc.state.co.us/cogis/SpillReport.asp?doc_num=2614363

Another Case of groundwater contamination:

http://ogccweblink.state.co.us/DownloadDocument.aspx?DocumentId=3018364

Another Case of groundwater contamination: (You may have to contact the COGCC to have them reformat the document so that you can open it and view it) It's cumbersome for the general public, we know, and it's a disservice. 

http://cogcc.state.co.us/cogis/SpillReport.asp?doc_num=2607162

http://ogccweblink.state.co.us/DownloadDocument.aspx?DocumentId=2087894

Analytical results for operator spill above: (partial images below) http://ogccweblink.state.co.us/DownloadDocument.aspx?DocumentId=2164154

In conclusion, It is very harmful that you continue to proceed without the cautionary principal, and as a result it appears you are grossly misinformed thus grossly negligent in preventing adverse impacts to the environment and to the residents of Weld County.

Please let me know if I can supply you with hundreds more groundwater contamination cases from Weld County.


Shane Davis
fractivist at large
former Weld 'Well' County resident

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