The Colorado Supreme Court will consider a dispute over how much weight should be given to public health and the environment in decisions over oil and gas drilling.
The court announced Monday that it would hear an appeal of the case Xiuhtezcatl Martinez v. Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation. It stems from a 2013 request by six young people, including Xiuhtezcatl Martinez of Boulder, who wanted state regulators to require energy companies to show they would not harm human health or the environment before drilling.
The commission refused, saying it did not have that authority. A lower court sided with the commission but the state appeals court sided with the young people.
Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman asked the state Supreme Court to review the decision in May over the objections of Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper.
