County officials in Colorado are expected to make a decision about a company's application to drill 53 new wells in a residential area after giving the public a full day to weigh in on the proposal.
The Rifle Citizen Telegram reports that Garfield County commissioners on Tuesday listened to Battlement Mesa residents' thoughts about Ursa Resources' applications.
The commissioners met in the unincorporated community at residents' request. More than 150 people attended and comments continued for more than three hours.
Several residents are concerned about how close the drilling would be homes and say nearby wells already cause health issues.
But others spoke positively about Ursa's community engagement. Ursa regulatory manager Rob Bleil said he can't remember ever participating in a more thorough application process.
