To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan Weimer, Director, Public Works & Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager, PWD
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presenter
Presenter: Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager & Martin Lohmann, Energy Program Manager, PWD
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Subject:
title
11:15 AM *Energy Program Fees
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Arapahoe County's Phase 2B oil and gas regulations authorized a pad site inspections program and the Board of County Commissioners approved a 2025 budget, which included funding for an oil and gas inspector position. The purpose of this study session is to seek Board concurrence on a recommended fee schedule for the inspections program; with Board direction, staff will schedule fee schedule adoption at an upcoming business meeting.
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Background and Discussion: In October 2024, the Board directed PWD to establish an energy program, with 1.0 FTE for an oil and gas inspector (new position), 1.0 FTE for an energy program manager (existing vacant position), and 0.5 FTE of administrative support (using existing administrative resources). The program's goal is to inspect each Arapahoe County oil and gas well twice per year, with an estimate of 506 inspections to be completed in the first year of the program. Based on pending development in the Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan and proposed oil and gas sites elsewhere in the county, we anticipate inspections growing by 100 each year from 2026-2030. Based on those estimates, we anticipate submitting formal budget requests for an additional plan reviewer FTE for 2026 and an inspector FTE for 2027.
We posted the proposed fees for public comment in early June; the comments and staff responses are attached. The proposed fees were $3,000 per pad, plus $1,500 per well on the pad, charged annually. Many comments expressed concern that the fees were not adequate to cover the program costs, that the program would require taxpayer subsidies,...
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